2013 — March 18, Mortar explosion, Marines, Hawthorne Army munitions depot, NV– 7
— 7 Fox News. “Deadly explosion at Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot…mortars.” 3-19-2013.
— 7 Reuters. “Nevada military depot mortar explosion kills seven Marines.” 3-19-2013.
Fox: “A deadly explosion at a military ammunition storage facility in Nevada during a training exercise Monday prompted the U.S. Marine Corps to issue a blanket suspension of 60-millimeter mortars and associated tubes pending a review of the accident. Seven U.S. Marines were killed and several others were wounded Monday when a mortar exploded prematurely inside is firing tube during mountain training exercises at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. It’s unclear what caused the malfunction….
“The 60mm mortar is a weapon that traditionally requires three to four Marines to operate but it’s common during training for others to observe nearby.
“Eight men were taken to a medical center with injuries, such as penetrating trauma and fractures. One of them died, five were in serious condition, one was in fair condition and another was discharged, said Renown Regional Medical Center spokesman Mark Earnest….
“The cause of the incident remains under investigation. The investigation will focus on whether the Marines followed procedures to properly fire the weapon, whether there was a malfunction in the firing device or in the explosive mortar itself, the official said….
“The 147,000-acre depot, established in 1930, is about 140 miles southeast of Reno. The facility stores and disposes of ammunition, and provides long-term storage for industrial plant equipment. It’s comprised of nearly 3,000 buildings — including igloos, supply warehouses and munitions sheds — throughout more than 230 square miles.” (Fox News. “Deadly explosion at Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot prompts suspension of 60mm mortars.” 3-19-2013.
Reuters: “Las Vegas… A mortar explosion at a U.S. Army munitions depot in Nevada killed seven Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and injured seven other service members during a live-fire training exercise, military officials said on Tuesday. A Marine Corps official said a 60mm mortar round exploded prematurely Monday night during training at the Hawthorne Army Depot in western Nevada. The cause was under investigation. “The Marines were conducting live fire and maneuver training at the Hawthorne Army depot,” Brigadier General Jim Lukeman told a news conference in North Carolina. “A mortar round exploded in the mortar tube, causing the deaths of seven and injuring seven others. We don’t know yet what caused this malfunction.”
“The blast was among the deadliest such training accidents on U.S. soil in recent years. Last February, seven Marines were killed when two helicopters collided during an exercise along the California-Arizona border…. The U.S. Marines ordered a blanket suspension of the use of 60mm mortars pending a review after the blast, Marine Corps spokeswoman Captain Kendra Motz said in a statement.
“The explosion’s victims were airlifted to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno with injuries that included penetration trauma, fractures and vascular injuries, said Stacy Kendall, a spokeswoman for the medical center. Six Marines and a Navy sailor were wounded. Of those, six were in serious or very serious condition, while a seventh suffered minor injuries…
“The explosion occurred at close to 10 p.m. PDT (5 a.m. GMT Tuesday) during an exercise at the Hawthorne depot, about 92 miles southeast of Reno, said facility manager Russ Collier….
“Hawthorne Army Depot is a 147,000-acre site used for the storage and destruction of demilitarized ammunition. Its location in Nevada’s isolated high desert is also considered an ideal training environment for Special Operations forces preparing for deployments to Southwest Asia, according to a U.S. military website. The facility was established as a naval staging area for bombs, rockets and ammunition, and was used by the Navy during most of World War Two. It was transferred to the Army in 1977.
“The accident came a week after a U.S. military plane assigned to a Washington state Naval Air Station crashed during a routine training flight, killing all three crew members on board.” (Reuters (Cynthia Johnston). “Nevada military depot mortar explosion kills seven Marines.” 3-19-2013.)
Sources
Fox News. “Deadly explosion at Nevada’s Hawthorne Army Depot prompts suspension of 60mm mortars.” 3-19-2013. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/19/explosion-during-training-at-hawthorne-army-depot/
Reuters (Cynthia Johnston). “Nevada military depot mortar explosion kills seven Marines.” 3-19-2013. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/19/us-usa-nevada-explosion-idUSBRE92I0FB20130319