A 36-year-old female involved in an explosion at a chemical laboratory has superficial and partial thickness burns to her face. Witnesses say her shirt was on fire briefly. What should you suspect?

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Inhalation injury is the concept being tested, focusing on the airway. An explosion in an enclosed space exposes the airway to hot gases and toxic fumes. When someone has facial burns from such an event, you must suspect inhalation injury because heat and irritants can injure the airway even if the skin burns seem superficial. Airway burns can progress rapidly due to edema, potentially leading to obstruction. So, despite only superficial and partial-thickness facial burns, the airway itself may be extensively injured, making extensive airway burns the most plausible and urgent concern. That’s why the priority is preparing for airway protection and high-flow oxygen early. The other options miss the risk of airway involvement or overstate dermal-only injury.