8/20 – Eight Injured During Explosion at Earle Naval Station

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By John Burton
MIDDLETOWN – An explosion this morning at Naval Weapon Station Earle’s Waterfront Complex in Leonardo has left eight people injured, according to a Navy spokesman.
One person was treated and released, another is being treated for non-life threatening injuries, and the six others are being evaluated, said Jim Moir, deputy director for public affairs for the Navy’s Mid-Atlantic Region, in a statement released today.
The explosion occurred at about 9 a.m., as personnel were doing routine maintenance on a utility boat, located within the site’s boathouse area. The damage was contained to that area, Moir said.
Ammunition and ordnance operations at the weapons station were not affected by the accident, according to Moir.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, he said.
Earle, which also has a facility in Colts Neck, provides all ordnance for the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet Carrier and Expeditionary Strike Groups and supports strategic U.S. Department of Defense ordinance requirements.