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A three-girl died Sunday from burns she received after the baby stroller she was in caught fire during a cooking class her mother was attending on Saturday in Tokyo.
The baby stroller caught fire during the cooking class conducted on the first floor of a building in Bunkyo Ward at around 3:20 p.m. Saturday, Sankei Shimbun reported. The child, Kiori Wako, was rushed to hospital with burns to her face and head, but died Sunday. In addition, her mother and another woman sustained burns to their hands after attempting to save the girl.
According to reports, no fire was being used at the time of the cooking class. The person who called 119 said that flames suddenly began to arise from the baby stroller.
Kiori had a disability and used an oxygen tank to help her breathe. It was inside her stroller when the fire broke out. Police are investigating if it may have had something to do with the fire, despite there being no flames within the vicinity of the stroller.
During the cooking class, participants were learning to prepare easy to chew and swallow meals for the elderly and were seated at a table far from the stroller at the time.
© Japan Today
19 Comments
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Random
Was it perhaps an oxygen generator, rather than a tank. Those have been known to catch fire.
InspectorGadget
There is no mention of the tank being compromised in the article.
Most likely the tubing has either been punctured or detached in the stroller. Strollers by nature have many moving parts and it would be easy to crimp or crush a line. Once puncture, and being IN the stroller, it would likely have leaked Oxygen into the mattress, under blankets and anything else in the stroller, just waiting for an ignition source. This could be something as simple as static electricity, or a child's toy.
RIP poor girl. I hope the mother and all present get the support that they will require.
papigiulio
It didn't mention that the tank exploded, either way its a very tragic and bizarre accident, poor mother.
Nadège
Sorries for the family lost...
°
It is very sad for the family. But, I like to believe this death prevent for the little girl a suffering life undue to her soul.
I do hope the mother was given a proper psychological care. Burns are a horrible memory to keep from your lost child. It will be a very traumatic mourning for her without it.
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NadAge
sensei258
There had to have been some kind of ignition source.
Jonathan Prin
Oxygen from tank was in use for her to breathe. Know that grease with oxygen makes a mixture than can catch fire very easily through a simple spark. If you think about cooking and grease, you can link to this accident and understand why it blew to her face (electrostatic spark for instance).
If she was burnt in face, it is not be ause of the stroller.
RIP
John9Plus
How dare people blame the mother in this even indirectly.
smithinjapan
Reckless: "I am profoundly saddened to read this and I hope the child did not suffer too much. I imagine she may have inhaled flames and the pain was probably unbearable. RIP."
The child suffered and died from burns, the suffering would have been incredible.
Hawkeye
I do not understand that this happened.
albaleo
@Laguna, that link contains this:
That goes against everything I understand about oxygen. (See Disillusioned's post above.)
Nonsense. It's quite possible the child was in full view of the mother. At home, it's fairly normal to put a child to sleep out of sight of anyone.
Laguna
Sorry - above link was incorrect.
This is important for airline passengers as airlines carry oxygen bottles for flight personnel. https://www.hunker.com/12550837/what-are-the-causes-of-an-oxygen-tank-explosion
Laguna
Tragic. Possible causes: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/2019/02/22/special-supplements/imperial-dedication-need/#.XL2DEVT7QlM
Serrano
This is tragic. The cause of this stroller fire MUST be found. Seems like it must have something to do with that oxygen tank. So sorry for the girl and her mother who along with another woman burned their hands trying to save her.
Disillusioned
Oxygen won't ignite by itself. It will fan a fire, but not start one. It is not hydrogen. There is something very strange about this scenario. It just doesn't make sense. Gotta feel sorry for the poor little girl.
serendipitous1
First it sounded like Spontaneous Human Combustion but it's obviously something to do with the oxygen tank. What a terrible way for anyone to die, let alone a little kid.
Cameron
If the reporting is accurate regarding, “no fire was being used at the time”, then this is both horrifying and bizarre.