A 12-year-old girl died in a freak reaction when she reportedly suffocated from too much steam in the family bathroom, it has emerged.

Shaza Al-Azayzeh died after reportedly inhaling the steam as she showered at the family home in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on 28th November.

Death from steam inhalation is said to be extremely rare, with scientists cataloguing only a handful of cases around the world.

Shaza was rushed to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, but was declared dead on arrival.

Medics gave steam inhalation as the cause of death and it is unclear if there will be an investigation into her death.

Deaths from steam inhalation are said to be extremely rare but one study says superheated vapour can affect the lungs.

One article titled ‘Deaths from accidental steam inhalation during traditional therapy’ published in the Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine in 2005 says: “Death from accidental steam inhalation is quite a rare occurrence. Two cases of children who died during the inhalation of superheated steam in a closed room are reported.”

The authors – B. L. Bhootraa and J. Kitinya – continued: “To our knowledge this is the first case report where children died from the injurious effects of steam while inhaling steam.

“At autopsy, petechial haemorrhages in brain, lungs, heart, and congestion of epiglottis, congestion and oedema of lungs were seen macroscopically.

“Microscopically, trachea showed swelling and oedema of mucosa and sub mucosa, focal loss of mucosal epithelium and coagulative necrosis with scanty inflammatory reaction, lungs showed congestion, oedema and haemorrhages.

“It is considered that these findings caused hypoxia and cause of death in these cases was accidental inhalation of superheated steam.

“It indicates that mucosa of respiratory tract is vulnerable to the effects of vapors of superheated steam.

“Moreover it would seem that fatal hypoxia occurs within a few minutes from the effects of inhalation of steam in a closed space.”