An explosion during an indoor training exercise at the FBI Special Agent Jerry Crowe Regional Tactical Training Facility in Irvine, California, resulted in injuries to members of the Orange County Sheriff's Department SWAT team on Wednesday afternoon.
The explosion took place shortly before 1 p.m. local time while the OCSD SWAT team was engaged in its annual joint exercise with the agency's bomb squad at the FBI-operated facility, Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) Sergeant Frank Gonzalez told Fox News Digital.
SWAT Members Hospitalized Following Blast at FBI Facility
The blast resulted in injuries to 16 SWAT team members, with one individual requiring surgery for a non-life-threatening leg injury. Two other individuals sustained superficial wounds, while the remaining 13 reported symptoms such as dizziness and ringing in their ears, the Sheriff's Department specified.
The injured SWAT members were promptly transported to local hospitals for medical attention, with most having been discharged subsequently. The FBI issued a statement confirming the incident and the injuries.
"A training incident that occurred today at the FBI's training facility in Irvine with law enforcement partners resulted in some injuries and is under investigation," the national security organization stated.
Investigators Probe Cause of Explosion
While the cause of the explosion remains under investigation, it was clarified that the FBI was not directly involved in the incident. Laura Eimiller, a spokesperson for the FBI, confirmed that no FBI personnel were injured in the explosion.
The FBI Special Agent Jerry Crowe Regional Tactical Training Facility, situated south of Los Angeles, serves as a venue for firearms training and qualifications tests for both the FBI and local law enforcement agencies.
Details regarding the exact circumstances leading to the explosion were not immediately disclosed, but investigations are currently being jointly conducted by the sheriff's office and the FBI.
