A Northern Cambria woman and a relative were injured Friday after a portable oxygen tank exploded in her home, Northern Cambria fire officials said.
It appeared that a cigarette lit near her mask ignited the fire, Hope Fire Department Assistant Chief Greg Hassen said.
Hope firefighters quickly doused the Crawford Avenue blaze with an extinguisher, but both occupants suffered facial burns from the explosion, he said. Both people were able to flee the fire.
The woman was flown to a burn center in Pittsburgh, Hassen said. Her male relative, who helped her escape the house, suffered what appeared to be smoke inhalation and minor burns, he said.
He was transported to Conemaugh Miners Medical Center in Hastings and later flown to another hospital, Hassen said.
Hope was joined by Veterans and Hastings EMS at the scene.
Hassen said the explosion grew from a small, portable tank that was no more than knee-high and wasn't even in the same room in which the woman was sitting when the fire sparked.
That didn't matter, he said, referencing the combustible nature of pure oxygen.
Hassen described the incident as a tragic accident, “but hopefully (something) can be learned from this,” he said.
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