US | Hawthorne Army Depot 7 Marines Dead in Explosion at Nev. Army Depot Another 8 wounded during training exercise accident By Evann Gastaldo Posted Mar 19, 2013 7:58 AM CDT Updated Mar 19, 2013 8:20 AM CDT Copied Soldiers from Operational Detachment Alpha 3133 conduct a mounted-dismounted route clearing exercise during a pre-mission training exercise at the Hawthorne, Nev., Army Depot on Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, Staff Sgt. Corey T. Dennis) Seven US Marines are dead after an explosion at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada last night, military officials tell NBC News. The accident occurred at an ammunition storage facility during a live-fire training exercise, when a 60-millimeter mortar exploded in a tube as Marines were getting ready to fire it. Another eight Marines were wounded; three are in serious condition. The 147,000-acre depot is used for storing and destroying demilitarized ammo, Reuters reports. Read These Next North Carolina shooting suspect once walked the red carpet. Skydivers leap from plane 2 minutes before fatal crash. 'We heard a big bang,' says churchgoer in Michigan Tossed beers, hostile fans take the spotlight at Ryder Cup. Report an error