There was an explosion at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant early Friday morning. According to a press release from the plant, the explosion occurred around 12:30 a.m. in the ammunition production area. There were no injuries, and according to a spokesperson, this was due to the safety standards in place at the installation.
“Many operations are handled remotely, meaning that operators are in another room behind barricades or enforcements when they operate the machines working with explosives,” Justine Barati Director of Public and Congressional Affairs for the Joint Munitions Command said in an email to Radio IQ.
Local firefighters assisted in response efforts and the incident is currently under investigation.
Barati did not release specific information about the size of the explosion and whether any buildings at the site were damaged.
“Producing ammunition is a dangerous business,” Barati said in a statement. “Many safety protocols are put in place to ensure operators are exposed to as little danger as possible. Today’s incident shows the effectiveness of those protocols.”
The Radford Army Ammunition Plant produces propellants, energetics, and munitions for the U.S. Army.
