At least 10 people were injured Wednesday in an explosion at a military base in the northern border city of Paju, the Republic of Korea Army said, with authorities saying the blast was caused by the detonation of an explosive device used in a simulation.
According to military authorities, the blast took place around 3:29 p.m. at an artillery unit in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. At least 10 soldiers were injured in the incident, with two reported to be in serious condition. Several sustained burns to their arms and legs.
Authorities said there were no reports of fatalities as of Wednesday afternoon.
The victims were transported by helicopter and ambulance to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Gyeonggi Province and medical facilities near the unit.
The accident occurred during a regular training exercise involving K9 self-propelled howitzers. At the time, the unit was conducting a mock drill on base, practicing firing procedures with explosive devices used for simulations, which are designed to produce a loud detonation. No live ammunition was used in the exercise.
The device that exploded was intended to generate smoke and a loud blast when fired from a launcher, and is not classified as live ammunition, officials said. One of the devices exploded unexpectedly, causing casualties, they added.
Military authorities are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident and the full extent of the damage.
An Army official, requesting anonymity, noted, “The classification of serious or minor injuries will require medical assessments at the hospitals. As far as we know, most of the soldiers are not in life-threatening condition.”
mkjung@heraldcorp.com
