In a devastating incident that has shocked the medical and local community, Dr. Walter Foxcroft, a 43-year-old physical therapist and owner of Havasu Health and Hyperbarics in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was tragically burned alive inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at his own wellness clinic. The fire occurred late at night on July 9, 2025, when a flash blaze erupted inside the highly pressurized oxygen chamber, turning it into a fiery coffin.
Emergency responders arrived around 11 p.m. after receiving reports of a fire and a medical emergency involving a burn victim. Firefighters found the building filled with smoke and discovered the hyperbaric chamber intact but showing signs of a flash fire with Dr. Foxcroft trapped inside. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are sealed tubes pressurized with pure oxygen, used to enhance healing by increasing oxygen supply to damaged tissues. The exact cause of the flash fire remains under investigation by local authorities, who are examining how such a catastrophic event could have occurred in a controlled medical environment.
Dr. Foxcroft was a respected professional who founded his clinic in 2024 after earning his doctorate in physical therapy and certification as a Functional Medicine Hyperbaric Clinician. His clinic offered advanced therapeutic technologies aimed at optimizing patient health.
This tragic event is the second fatal hyperbaric chamber fire reported in the U.S. this year, following a similar incident in Michigan earlier in January involving a young child. These incidents raise urgent questions about the safety and regulation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilities nationwide.
Our thoughts are with Dr. Foxcroft’s family, friends, and the Lake Havasu community during this difficult time.