Injuries From Bomb Blast At Montco Training 'Significant,' But Not Deadly: FBI

SKIPPACK TOWNSHIP, PA — Five individuals were wounded when a bomb detonated during a law enforcement training exercise at a prison facility in Montgomery County on Thursday, but officials say all are expected to recover.

The FBI Philadelphia office announced on Friday afternoon that five bomb technicians were hurt, some seriously, when a live explosive device prematurely detonated during Thursday's training, and while some injuries were classified as "significant," none appear to be life-threatening.

"Safety is always a priority of the FBI and our partners, and we take incidents like this extremely seriously," the FBI said in a statement. "As such, this incident is under investigation by the FBI's Inspection Division. The review process is thorough and objective and will be conducted as expeditiously as possible in coordination with PSP and MCSO."

The Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office were also involved in the live explosives training, and members of those organizations were listed among the injured.

Three sheriff's deputies, one State Police Trooper, and one Special Agent from the FBI's Philadelphia office had to be taken to area hospitals to be treated for their injuries following the incident, according to the FBI.

The training was being conducted on the grounds of a state prison complex run by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, but a prison spokesperson previously stated that the DOC was not directly involved with the training exercise.

Related: 3 Deputies Injured When Bomb Explodes At Montco Prison During Training

The FBI on Friday said the bomb technician from their agency was released from a hospital on Thursday after being admitted for treatment, and that the agency would defer to the State Police and Montgomery County Sheriff's Office for any further comment on their personnel.

Patch reached out to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and was told that one injured deputy, Cpl. Ryan Volk, a 14-year veteran and bomb technician with the office, was injured and airlifted to Penn Presbyterian Hospital where he continues to undergo medical treatment.

Two other deputies — Cpl. Tim Metz, a 13-year veteran and bomb technician and Cpl. Andrew Noto, a 12-year veteran and bomb technician — were injured during the incident and taken to Paoli Hospital, but they have since been treated and released.

The present condition of the state trooper was not immediately clear as of early Friday afternoon.

It remains unclear what caused the live explosive device to prematurely detonate during the training. It was also unclear why a live device was used during an educational exercise as opposed to one that was not capable of being detonated.