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A routine visit to the gym has left Pretoria resident Stéfanos Dalcos facing months of treatment, rehabilitation and an uncertain future after a horrific incident inside the steam room at Planet Fitness Montana, reports Pretoria Rekord

The 28-year-old suffered third-degree burns over approximately 17% of his body during the incident on June 18 and remains admitted to Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital, where he has already undergone multiple operations.

Speaking to Rekord from his hospital bed, Dalcos said the day had started like any other.

“It was just a normal day at the gym,” he recalled

“After my workout, I had a shower and, like I normally do, I went into the steam room.”

According to Dalcos, the steam room had been out of service before reopening that day.

“I went inside, and that’s the last thing I remember. I think I picked up the hosepipe, but I’m honestly not sure,” he said.

The next thing he remembers is waking up in the back of an ambulance.

“My memory is very blurry,” he said.

Dalcos said he was later told another gym member who attempted to help him was also injured while trying to rescue him, along with a gym employee, before the power was switched off.

“I am very lucky to be here still,” he said.

“It was a very scary incident.”

The injuries have left Dalcos with severe burns and a lengthy recovery ahead.

His left hand and arm sustained extensive damage during the incident, and he is currently experiencing limited function in his right hand.

“At the moment I have limited function in my right hand,” he said.

“We don’t know if I’ll ever get full function back.”

The emotional impact of seeing his injuries for the first time remains vivid.

“When I first looked at my hand, I thought it was just wet tissue.

“It was only later that I realised it was actually my skin. When I saw the rest of my injuries, I just tried to stay calm.”

Dalcos returned to South Africa from Ireland in December after working overseas, including on farms in the United States and in the hospitality industry in Ireland.

Currently unemployed and without medical aid, he is relying on treatment at the state hospital. At the same time, his family has launched a BackaBuddy campaign to help fund his ongoing recovery and rehabilitation.

Dalcos said the only contact he has had from Planet Fitness since the incident was when three employees visited him in hospital.

“They brought me a gift bag with biltong and one of them gave me a rosary,” he said.

“They told me they were happy that I survived and offered me free membership for a couple of months.”

Dalcos said he declined the offer.

“I told them I’m not going back to that gym after I almost died.

“The very least they could have done was cover my medical costs.”

In a statement to Rekord, Planet Fitness said its thoughts remain with Dalcos and his family and wished him a full recovery.

The company confirmed that an incident involving Dalcos occurred at its Montana branch on June 18. Still, it said the cause and mechanism of the incident have not yet been established and remain the subject of independent technical investigations through its insurer.

Planet Fitness said staff immediately responded by contacting emergency medical services, assisting Dalcos until paramedics arrived, switching off the steam room, securing the area, contacting his family and safeguarding his belongings.

The company also confirmed that employees later visited Dalcos in hospital, describing the visit as standard practice following serious incidents and ‘a gesture of concern and support’.

Regarding the family’s concerns over medical costs, Planet Fitness said no financial contribution was made because the matter entered a formal legal and insurance process after Dalcos appointed attorneys and lodged a monetary claim.

Dalcos’ legal representatives, however, told Rekord they had approached Planet Fitness with a proposal to cover his medical expenses without any admission of liability.

Planet Fitness said any compensation or payment would need to be dealt with through those legal channels.

It also said Planet Fitness disputes that any employee was injured during the incident.

The company said no employee sustained an electric shock or any other physical injury while responding. It confirmed, however, that it had since received an allegation from a gym member claiming to have been injured while assisting Dalcos.

According to Planet Fitness, that claim remains under investigation, and it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions as there are differing accounts of what happened.

The company added that, in approximately 31 years of operation and millions of member visits, it was not aware of any previous incident of this nature.

It further stated that the fixed steam room supply pipe forms part of the facility’s infrastructure, is not intended for normal member use and should not be touched.

The company said it remains committed to establishing the facts through the appropriate independent processes while continuing to provide a safe environment for members.

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