A woman who works at a cryotherapy centre has died and a guest rushed to hospital after a nitrogen leak, according to investigators in Paris.
Police were rushed to the On Air facility at a sports centre in the capital of France after the pair were poisoned by the sudden leak in the building. One of the victims was a 20-year-old employee of the gym who was killed in the accident, while a client was rushed to Lariboisière Hospital in a critical condition. Another 15 people were evacuated from the building as investigations into the accident continues by French investigators.
Gym member Diego Brisset, 26, told The Pinnacle Gazette: “I was going to train like every evening when I heard from colleagues the gym was closed due to a death caused by a nitrogen leak.
“I’ve always been said that cryotherapy can be dangerous.”
A police source confirmed three people with the victims were given first aid as a precaution.
The club said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and are cooperating fully with the authorities to understand what happened.”
They added on social media: “The club will be exceptionally closed this Tuesday April 15.
“Please excuse us for the inconvenience caused.”
Another gym goer added: “Condolences to the victim’s family and all my support to the poisoned young woman.”
Cryotherapy is also known as cold therapy and is a type of treatment in which the body is exposed to extreme cold temperatures for a short period of time.
There are two types of cryotherapy treatment, whole-body and targeted.
Cryotherapy treatment consists of standing naked or semi-naked in a cryo-chamber that blasts you with cold air.
Temperatures in cryo chambers usually vary between -120 and -150 degrees celsius, but some go as low as -180.
The temperatures are so cold patients undergoing the treatment can only stay in the chamber for a maximum of four minutes.
Cryotherapy is also used to treat skin conditions, relieve muscle pain, treat chronic pain conditions like arthritis and promotes faster healing of injuries.
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