Four Marines were killed at Camp Pendleton in Southern California duing a range maintenance operation on Wednesday morning, the Marine Corps said in a press release that was confirmed by CBS News. No cause of the accident was immediately offered, as it remains under investigation.
"We offer our heartfelt prayers and condolences to the families of the Marines lost... in this tragic accident. Our first priority is to provide the families with the support they need during this time," said Brig. Gen. John W. Bullard, commanding general of Camp Pendleton, said in a statement
The four Marines were "working in a range area, which is used for live-fire exercises, but the death did not occur under such live fire... The incident could have 'very possibly' involved unexploded ordinance suddenly detonating," said a military spokesman, as reported by CNN
The range is known as Zulu Black.
Seven Marines were when a 60mm mortar round had exploded at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada in March. In that incident, "the Marines employing one of the mortars did not follow correct procedures, resulting in the detonation of a high explosive round at the mortar position," according to reports. As a result, three Marines were relieved of their duties after that incident, CNN also reported. Sources inside the Pentagon said the Marines were not clearing the range, but instead doing some sort of training when the deadly detonation occurred., according to NBC News.
There have been about five accidents involving the military while in training. A helicopter collision killed seven U.S. Marines during a training exercise in Yuma, Arizona in February, 2012. Of those Marines killed, six were from Camp Pendleton, NBC San Diego reported.
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