15 Marines Hospitalized In Fiery Accident At Camp Pendleton

CAMP PENDLETON (CBS8.com) -- A fiery accident involving an amphibious landing vehicle at Camp Pendleton left 15 Marines injured Wednesday, authorities reported.

According to San Diego CBS affiliate CBS8.com, the personnel were taking part in regularly scheduled battalion training when the accident occurred about 9:30 a.m.

The incident happened in the San Mateo area of the military base near Oceanside, said 1st Lt. Paul Gainey, a spokesman for the USMC 1st Marine Division.

The Marines were being treated for injuries of undisclosed severity.

"Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident at this time,'' Gainey said at midday.

According to a defense official who was not authorized to discuss the incident publicly, so spoke on condition of anonymity, several were seriously hurt.

The involved vehicle caught fire during the accident, according to Gainey. Further details were not immediately available, he said.

The armored vehicle is used to cart Marines and their equipment from Navy ships onto land. It resembles a tank and travels through water before coming ashore.