Human error caused Nevada depot blast that killed seven Marines: probe
Source: Reuters
Human error caused Nevada depot blast that killed seven Marines: probe
Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:42pm EST
(Reuters) - A blast at a U.S. Army munitions depot in Nevada that killed seven Marines in March was caused when a Marine improperly loaded a second mortar round into an already armed launching tube during a live-fire training exercise, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesman said on Thursday.
Seven Marines died and eight other service members were wounded in the incident at the Hawthorne Army Depot in western Nevada when a 60-millimeter mortar round detonated prematurely in its launching tube.
Lieutenant Adam Flores, spokesman for the 2nd Marine Division, said an internal military investigation found that a Marine had been feeding a second round into a mortar tube when a round already inside it was detonated, causing the half-loaded round to set off a massive explosion.
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In Nevada, the military found that the nighttime blast was the result of human error, inadequate training, and a systemic lack of supervision, Flores said.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/23/us-usa-nevada-explosion-idUSBREA0M1TE20140123