4 injured in small explosion at Army depot in Pennsylvania
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A small explosion Thursday in a vehicle shop at an Army depot injured four workers, leaving at least three with burns, officials said.
The blast occurred at Letterkenny Army Depot about 7:15 a.m. Army Depot officials quickly posted on social media that the blast was contained, that operations elsewhere on the base would not be affected and that there was no suspicion of terrorist activity.
Col. Stephen Ledbetter, the depot commander, said three victims were flown to Baltimore area hospitals and the fourth left in an ambulance.
A fire company said three had burns. Their conditions were not immediately available.
Ledbetter said the explosion occurred in the painting area of a vehicle shop.
Both the Army and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate, he said.
The depot, located 160 miles (257 kilometers) west of Philadelphia, or about 55 miles (88 kilometers) southwest of Harrisburg, employs about 3,600 people. The depot’s website says work there focuses on air defense tactical missile ground support equipment, mobile electric power generation equipment, Patriot missile recertification and route guidance vehicles.
