UPDATE: Sept. 17, 2:12 p.m.
An unnamed FBI special agent who was on scene during Thursday's explosion has been treated and released from the hospital, while a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper remains hospitalized along with two members of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Sean Kilkenny says, while the injuries are not life-threatening, they are serious.
"Yesterday was a tragedy for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Everybody’s heart sunk when we got the news," he said.
UPDATE: Sept. 16, 12:40 p.m.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) released the names of the three bomb techs who were injured: Cpl. Ryan Volk, a 14-year MCSO veteran; Cpl. Tim Metz, a 13-year MCSO veteran; and Cpl. Andrew Noto, a 12 -year veteran.
Metz and Noto were treated at the hospital and released. Volk is still undergoing treatment after he was airlifted to the hospital.
Original story follows:
SKIPPACK TWP., Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Three Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies were hurt in an explosion during a bomb squad training exercise Thursday at State Correctional Institution-Phoenix.
Three members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad were participating in an FBI-led explosives training on the grounds of the state prison.
A bomb detonated unexpectedly during explosives response training just before 10 a.m., according to emergency officials. The three deputies, all bomb technicians, were among the five law enforcement officials hurt in the explosion.
A 14-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office was airlifted to Penn Presbyterian Hospital, and a 13-year veteran and a 12-year veteran are both being treated at Paoli Hospital. Two others were taken by ambulance to area hospitals as a precaution.
EMS personnel were on the scene for the training, so there was an ambulance already on the prison grounds. Around 10:58 a.m., a call went out to request an additional ambulance. The Montgomery County Department of Public Safety also responded to the scene to assist.
A charred car surrounded by burned grass could be seen from above.
Exactly why the training device exploded when it did is under investigation by the FBI and State Police. Neither the names of the people nor the severity of their injuries were available.