Arizona Physical Therapist Dies in Hyperbaric Chamber Flash Fire

Dr. Walter Foxcroft, 43, died after a flash fire turned his oxygen therapy machine into a fiery coffin

A physical therapist in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, died after suffering fatal burns caused by a flash fire inside a hyperbaric chamber at his medical facility, officials confirmed.

Walter Foxcroft, 43, was discovered deceased inside the chamber by emergency responders at Navasu Health and Hyperbarics shortly after 11 p.m. on July 9. According to a statement released by the Lake Havasu City Fire Department, both fire and police personnel were dispatched to the facility following a report of a burn-related medical emergency. Foxcroft was pronounced dead at the scene.

The flash fire is believed to have ignited while Foxcroft was inside the hyperbaric chamber. No other individuals were present or injured at the time of the incident, which remains under active investigation by local authorities.

Inset, Dr. Walter Foxcroft, was found dead inside a hyperbaric chamber at his Arizona practice. Main image, a hyperbaric chamber is seen at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in North Carolina in 2014

Hyperbaric chambers are sealed, pressurized units that deliver high-concentration oxygen therapy. According to the Food and Drug Administration, patients inside these chambers breathe 100% oxygen under increased pressure, a process that allows the lungs to absorb more oxygen than under normal atmospheric conditions. This therapy is commonly used to treat conditions such as decompression sickness, severe infections, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Foxcroft’s death marks the second fatal incident involving a hyperbaric chamber in 2025. In January, a 5-year-old child died after a fire erupted in a chamber at a facility in Troy, Michigan.

Foxcroft co-founded Navasu Health and Hyperbarics in 2024. According to the clinic's website, he earned his clinical doctorate in physical therapy from Touro University in Nevada and was an alumnus of the University of Arizona, where he once served as the university’s mascot. His professional contributions and commitment to integrative therapy services had made him a respected figure in the Lake Havasu medical community.

Authorities have not yet released the specific cause of the fire, and safety concerns surrounding hyperbaric oxygen treatment are expected to be part of the ongoing investigation.