FBI training facility explosion injures 16 SWAT team members in Southern California

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.

Published: March 14, 2024 9:34am

An explosion at an FBI training facility in Southern California injured 16 Special Weapons and Tactics team members with the Orange County Sheriff's Department, officials said.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon during an annual joint training exercise with the sheriff's department's Hazardous Devices Section in an FBI training facility in Irvine, Calif., the agency said on X, formerly Twitter.

Fifteen members of the sheriff's department were sent to the hospital, including one with a non-life-threatening leg injury that required surgery, officials said

Two other SWAT team members suffered superficial injuries, and 13 others were hospitalized with dizziness and ringing in their ears.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, and the sheriff's department, in coordination with the FBI, is investigating the incident.

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