Seven Marines Killed In Nevada Training Exercise

An explosion at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada late Monday killed seven Marines and injured several more from a North Carolina unit, the Marine Corps confirmed in a statement.

Officials say it was a Marine Corps training exercise accident that occurred around 10 p.m. local time, and involved servicemen from the 2nd Marine Division.

"We send our prayers and condolences to the families of Marines involved in this tragic incident. We remain focused on ensuring that they are supported through this difficult time," said Major. Gen. Raymond C. Fox, II MEF commanding general, in a statement to the press. "We mourn their loss, and it is with heavy hearts we remember their courage and sacrifice."

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The Marine Corps said it is withholding the identities of those killed until next of kin notification. The status of those injured has not been provided yet.

Russ Collier told KRNV-TV in Reno that the explosion Monday night was an accident unrelated to the ammunition that is stored at the military facility near the small desert community of Hawthorne, about 140 miles southeast of Reno.

The Mineral County sheriff's office says it does not have any details.

The Hawthorne Army Depot stores and disposes of ammunition. The facility is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over more than 230 square miles.

Hawthorne has held an important place in American military history since World War II when it became the staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets for the war. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection says that the depot employed more than 5,500 people at its peak. Nevada was chosen for the location because of its remoteness in the wake of a devastating explosion at the government's main depot in New Jersey in the 1920s.

It opened in September 1930 as the Naval Ammunition Depot Hawthorne, was redesignated Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant in 1977 when it moved under the control of the Army, according to its website. In 1994, the site ended its production mission and became Hawthorne Army Depot. The site currently serves several purposes for the military, including storing ammunition and explosives and providing what the military calls an ideal training facility for special forces preparing for deployments to similar desert terrain in places like Afghanistan.