Redstone Arsenal: No dead, 2 injured in explosion on Army base in north Alabama

Redstone Arsenal: No dead, 2 injured in explosion

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Redstone Arsenal officials say two people have been injured and nobody has been killed in an explosion on the Army base in north Alabama.

A statement from Deputy Public Affairs Officer Kimberly Henry said one of the injured was being taken by helicopter to a Birmingham hospital and one to a Huntsville hospital. The explosion occurred Wednesday morning in a building that handles aviation and missile testing.

The statement said there were no fatalities and that all employees in the area have been accounted for. A county official had reported earlier that one person was killed. There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — One person was killed and one injured in a chemical explosion at the Army’s Redstone Arsenal on Wednesday, but details on the cause were not immediately available, an emergency management official said.

Madison County emergency operations coordinator Jim Pockrus said the morning explosion occurred at the sprawling military base at Huntsville that is home to the Army missile command.

Pockrus said it was a “chemical-type” explosion and arsenal officials were “not requesting any help” from city or county responders. An arsenal spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment.

Redstone Arsenal, which says it employs 32,000 people on 38,000 acres at Huntsville, is the center of Army missile and helicopter programs. The base also develops and maintains weapons systems for the Army.