State lawmakers push to regulate hyperbaric chambers after deadly Troy incident

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The tragic death of five-year-old Thomas Cooper in a fiery explosion while inside a hyperbaric chamber in Troy now has state lawmakers stepping in.

What they're saying:

Representative Sharon MacDonell of Troy lives just a few miles from the Oxford Center, the site of the explosion that has now resulted in serious charges against the owner and three employees.

"The problem with this technology is that it goes along and nothing happens, but if something goes slightly wrong, it's going to be catastrophic. That's why I really think we need to have oversight," said MacDonell.

Attorney General Dana Nessel filed criminal charges against the already controversial center, with the family hiring the Fieger Law Firm.

"We're looking into every aspect from a machine malfunction to operator error," said attorney James Harrington.

What's next:

What Michigan lawmakers don't want is to ever see this happen again. MacDonell, along with State Senator Stephanie Chang, drafted legislation to combat any chance of a future incident.

"You should have a physician prescribing the procedure and you should have a physician overseeing it," MacDonell said. '"The FDA already tells clients that you should find a hyperbaric chamber that has been accredited by UHMS."

UHMS is the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the experts in the use and regulation of hyperbaric chambers.

John Peters is the executive director of UHMS and is working with Michigan lawmakers.

"This is not pie in the sky, we can execute on this, so let's make it happen," said Peters.

The legislation is in the early stages of being drafted but could be before lawmakers in the fall. Until then, consumers should be careful when considering treatment using hyperbaric chambers.

The FDA only approves them for 13 conditions, and some of these centers are offering it for hundreds of conditions, so buyer beware.