5-year-old killed in hyperbaric chamber explosion in Michigan
A hyperbaric chamber; BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images
(TROY, Mich.) — A 5-year-old boy was killed and his mother was injured Friday after a hyperbaric chamber exploded at a medical facility in Troy, Michigan.
The chamber contained 100% oxygen, making it extremely flammable, according to Lt. Keith Young of the Detroit Fire Department.
Officers and firefighters responded to the explosion shortly before 8 a.m.
“Upon arrival, the first responding units unfortunately discovered a 5-year-old boy deceased on the scene,” Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department said at a press conference.
The boy’s mother was standing next to the chamber when it exploded and suffered injuries to her arms, officials said. A few medical staff members were also present but were not seriously hurt.
It’s not clear what kind of treatment the boy was receiving at the time.
The explosion was contained to the chamber and firefighters quickly brought the fire under control, they said.
“I’ve been with the department for 10 years, and we’ve never responded to anything like this,” Young said.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and multiple state agencies are involved in examining safety regulations at the facility. In the meantime, the medical center remains closed.
(WILLINGBORO TOWNSHIP, NJ) — A 32-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly bludgeoning her mother to death inside her own home, officials said.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Willingboro Township Police Chief Ian S. Bucs announced that Breanna Beacham — who was temporarily staying at her mother’s residence on Hopewell Lane in Willingboro Township — was charged on Tuesday with killing her mother in the victim’s home in the Hawthorne Park neighborhood.
“Police were called to the residence just before 4 p.m. for a report of an assault in progress,” according to a statement from the Burlington County prosecutor’s office on Tuesday. “Upon arrival, investigators discovered the body of Kim Beacham-Hanson, 57.”
The preliminary investigation determined that she had been bludgeoned to death, officials said.
“An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood concluded her death was a homicide that was caused by multiple blunt injuries,” according to the Burlington County prosecutor’s office.
Beacham was taken into custody at the home early Tuesday evening and lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.
Breanna Beacham has now been charged with first degree murder, third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth degree unlawful possession of a weapon .
The motive for the attack remains under investigation.
(NEW YORK) — The Federal Aviation Administration says it has found no safety issues with Southwest Airlines following several monthslong investigations launched in July after multiple close-call incidents.
The most notable incident occurred in April when a Southwest plane came within 400 feet from slamming into the ocean off the coast of Hawaii.
However, several other incidents were investigated, including a flight to Phoenix, Arizona, in May experiencing a “dutch roll,” a Southwest flight from Ohio to Florida that came within 150 feet of the water before performing a go-around and a flight in June when a Southwest plane dropped to 525 feet over Oklahoma.
Southwest, in a statement to ABC about the agency’s completion of the review, said it “appreciates the opportunity to engage with the FAA as part of our mutual dedication to safety. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
The FAA also issued a statement in the aftermath of the investigations, saying they “finished its Certificate Holder Evaluation Program (CHEP) of Southwest Airlines. The review did not identify any significant safety issues.”
In this screen grab from a video, a drone is shown near Bedminster, New Jersey, on Dec. 3, 2024./Obtained by ABC News
(NEW YORK) — Since mid-November, what are believed by many to be large aerial drones have been spotted at night throughout central and northern New Jersey, causing concern for residents who have been posting videos of the aircraft on their social media accounts and prompting increasing demands from local and state officials for answers.
Lawmakers from New York and New Jersey this week sent a letter to the heads of the FBI, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting that the agencies brief them on the issue.
“We write with urgent concern regarding the unmanned aerial system (UAS) activity that has affected communities across New York and New Jersey in recent days,” the letter from New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim stated. They asked to be briefed “as soon as possible on how your agencies are working with federal and local law enforcement to identify and address the source of these incursions.”
While lawmakers and citizens alike await answers, here’s what to know about the purported drone sightings.
Who’s operating the drones, and why?
According to a DHS handout, “it is unclear who is operating the drones,” but “the State of New Jersey and its agencies are not involved in the operation of these reported drones.” The statement noted that determining the operators is “an aspect of the ongoing federal investigation.”
Similarly, the DHS said there is as yet no “specific details about the drones,” such as their manufacturer or model, and that while “drones are generally required to have tracking capabilities … not all drones comply, and investigations are ongoing to identify the operators.”
Are the drones dangerous?
“At this time, according to the FBI, there are no known specific or credible threats related to these sightings,” the DHS handout states.
During a press briefing Thursday, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby echoed the DHS statement, and said there was “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat.” He added that “upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.”
Could the drones actually be something else?
It is possible that some people may be mistaking general aviation, commercial or military aircraft for drones. “Drone activity can sometimes be mistaken for general aviation aircraft, such as planes or smaller helicopters, due to several overlapping characteristics,” according to the DHS, including “advanced capabilities that allow them to mimic the flight patterns of helicopters or small planes, such as hovering or making rapid directional changes.”
During his briefing Thursday, Kirby also said that federal authorities and state and local law enforcement “have not been able to … corroborate any of the reported visual sightings. To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.”
Mine Hill, New Jersey Mayor Sam Morris called Kirby’s claim “ridiculous,” telling ABC News it was “really insulting to all the people here who are living through this.”
“Come on out, Mr. Kirby. And let’s go out one night about 9:30, 10:00,” Morris said. “I’ll go out behind my town hall. And you can count them with me all night.”
Can someone shoot down, capture or disable the drones?
Drones generally can’t be shot down or captured, for both legal and safety reasons, according to the DHS: “Shooting down a drone can pose safety risks to people and property on the ground. Debris from a downed drone can cause injury or damage, especially in populated areas.
Additionally, the small size and maneuverability of drones make them difficult targets, even if there should be a reason to shoot them down. And while “non-kinetic methods such as jamming or hacking can be used” to disable drones, “they require sophisticated technology and expertise,” the DHS says.
It’s also not a good idea to shoot them down yourself. Doing so in New Jersey, for example, is illegal and violates federal law, since drones are regulated by the FAA. According to the DHS, any person who shoots down a drone could be fined up to $250,000 and sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
State and local authorities also have little to no say legally regarding drone activity, since drones are FAA regulated.
What should you do if you see a drone?
The DHS recommends that anyone who sees what they consider to be suspicious drone activity should report it to their local police. If you live in New Jersey, you can also report it to the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Counter-Threat Watch Unit at 866-4-SAFE-NJ (1-866-472-3365) or tips@njohsp.gov.
