Background: Oregon Health & Science University hospital in Portland, Ore. (Google Maps). Inset: John Murdoch (provided by the family).
The family of an Oregon man who suffered from severe burns after his face caught on fire during surgery is suing the hospital for $900,000.
John Michael Murdoch, aged 52, was in the midst of a medical procedure for squamous cell carcinoma, a form of tongue cancer, in December of 2022. He was admitted to Oregon Health & Science University hospital for a tracheostomy to insert a breathing tube in his throat. Before the surgery, his face was swabbed with isopropyl alcohol for sterilization. However, due to insufficient drying time, his face ignited upon contact with a surgical tool that produced a spark.
Despite the incident, Murdoch survived for an additional six months, eventually passing away from cancer in June 2023. Although his death was not directly linked to the burns sustained in the surgical fire, a lawsuit filed in December 2024 revealed the intense suffering Murdoch endured. He bore disfiguring scars and other distressing facial injuries that never fully healed prior to his demise. Reports from The Oregonian indicated that Murdoch was conscious during the harrowing event.
Following the tragic episode, John’s wife, Toni Murdoch, sought legal counsel from attorney Ron Cheng. Cheng revealed that while the victim was unable to communicate verbally, he was capable of indicating the discomfort and agony he experienced post-incident.
Named in the lawsuit was Dr. Adam Howard, a physician whose medical license lapsed in January 2024, according to The Oregonian. The outlet also reported that Howard now works in West Virginia, where his license is active. Oregon Health & Science University is also listed as a defendant along with 10 unnamed surgical staff.
The lawsuit stated that conditions in the operating room where Murdoch was to undergo his procedure were at risk of fire due to the presence of oxygen, ignition sources, and fuel — this is referred to as the “fire triangle” in an alert by the Joint Commission, a health care safety organization, that came out in October 2023.
According to the lawsuit, the tool used on Murdoch that allegedly ignited the fire had a history of setting off sparks.
A spokesperson for Oregon Health & Science University did not provide a comment to The Oregonian due to patient privacy and said that the same condition applied to Howard. Cheng did not respond immediately to Law&Crime for a comment, but he told The Oregonian that “[t]his is a ‘never] event — it never should have happened.”
