Monday Night Explosion Damages Building on APG

Three buildings on Aberdeen Proving Ground were damaged after a carbon dioxide tank exploded during off-hours Monday night on the secure post.

The blast was heard in Harford and Cecil counties, and stood out amid a thunderstorm that threatened the region with tornado watches and heavy thunder and lightning. 

According to a news release from Army Test Command on Aberdeen Proving Ground, the explosion happened next to a building used for sampling and analysis for system testing. Two other buildings nearly a half-mile from the blast were also damaged.

"Although criminal activity is not suspected at this point in the investigation, we have not completely ruled it out in order to conduct a complete and thorough investigation," Jeffrey Castro, an Army CID spokesman, said in the release.

No injuries were reported. Access to the blast area is restricted due to the ongoing investigation, according to the release.

Extraordinarily loud explosions are commonplace on APG during weekdays, but rarely does an explosion happen in the evenings—particularly after 10 p.m. as it did on Monday.

Patch readers began commenting that the boom was heard in neighboring towns, but also in Cecil County.

The tornado watch expired at midnight, and most of the loud thunder had moved out of the area by 11 p.m.

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