Sixteen members of the Orange County Police Department's Special Operations Team were injured Wednesday afternoon in an explosion at an FBI training facility in Irvine, according to authorities.
The explosion occurred around 1 p.m. in a small building at the Jerry Crow Regional Tactical Training Facility, according to Sheriff's Sgt. Frank Gonzalez.
He added that the SWAT team was conducting its annual joint training with the bomb squad at that time. The FBI was not involved and provided them with exercise facilities.
Fifteen people were taken to hospitals. One person suffered a leg injury that required surgery but was not life-threatening. Two others suffered superficial injuries, including back and leg injuries. The other 13 people went to hospital as a precaution due to dizziness and ringing in their ears, but several of them have already been discharged.
The FBI training facility is located on the grounds of the former El Toro Marine Base.
Gonzalez did not have further information about the cause of the explosion.
“This will be part of the investigation,” he added. “I'm trying to figure out exactly why this happened.”
The Sheriff's Department and the FBI are investigating the incident.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this article.
