Eight unnamed people were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment when a boathouse at the Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey exploded on Tuesday morning, a naval spokesman said.
The blast occurred about 9 a.m. EDT as workers performed maintenance on a nearby vessel, the Navy said in a press release.
“The situation is stabilized. We are investigating the accident,” Navy spokesman Mike Brady said, as CNN reported. The Navy also reported in its release that “the damage from the explosion was contained within the boathouse area.”
The cause of the explosion wasn’t immediately clear.
The identities of the injured haven’t been released yet. One of the victims, however, is reportedly in serious condition. The other seven suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, the Navy said in the statement.
The Naval Weapons Station Earle, located just south of Middletown, N.J., supplies the Navy’s Atlantic fleet with ordnance.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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