Unattended Explosives Result in Evacuation at Camp Pendleton

Camp Pendleton, California military explosives were found unattended in an office building at Camp Pendleton, prompting a temporary evacuation of the area. There were no injuries reported during the event, according to the Marine Corps.

An unidentified explosive was safely removed by EOD for disposal and the office building was deemed safe shortly afterward. According to Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Joshua Pena, the discovery was made during the routine installation of information technology equipment in the building.

"The safety of our staff and students is a top priority," Maj. Pena said. "The Command is in full cooperation with NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) and is reviewing current processes and procedures to ensure future incidents like this do not occur."

There is no indication as to how the explosives (type not reported) ended up in the building or why they were unattended and not in secure magazine. An NCIS investigation has been launched to determine how the "packaged" military explosives ended up in an unauthorized area.