Two LA County Sheriff's Department deputies are in grave condition following an explosion and fire at a mobile shooting range located at the Pitchess Detention Center Tuesday morning, according to a LASD official speaking to RedState on condition of anonymity. The official, who was granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, provided RedState with additional details about the incident and security video showing one deputy, who had minor injuries, leaving the range immediately after the incident.

According to the official, there were two deputies inside the trailer when the explosion occurred, one being the range operator and the other the shooter, and both deputies have been placed in a medically induced coma and are in grave condition. One deputy is less than a year away from retirement. 

The cause of the incident is still under investigation, however, the speculation from the Arson and Explosives detectives is that the range had several years' worth of gunpowder residue built up in the filtration system that somehow caught fire and exploded. The explosion and subsequent fire caused the outer door, which is normally closed when the range is in use, to seal shut due to the heat and pressure that built up in the trailer, trapping both deputies inside.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following details of what the responding deputies found are graphic and disturbing, but we have decided to publish them in the public interest.)

According to the LASD official, responding deputies from inside the detention center arrived almost immediately after the initial explosion and fire but were unable to open the door due to the pressure, as the door opens to the inside of the trailer and not out. When deputies were able to get the door open, according to the official, they found the deputies with most of their uniforms and undergarments burnt completely off, and the fire was still raging inside the trailer. Both of the deputies injured were not only severely burned on the outside of their bodies, but inhaled extremely toxic and dangerous chemicals that were exposed during the explosion and fire. Essentially the two deputies were trapped in a tiny oven full of searing hot flame and toxic chemicals, which caused severe chemical burns in their lungs.

There were two mobile ranges at Pitchess Tuesday morning, but one was inoperable. According to sources familiar with the current status of the mobile range equipment, the range that exploded and burned was condemned and taken out of service several years ago but was brought back into service when the other trailer's electrical system failed and could not be fixed. No details about the status of safety inspections for this trailer were immediately available.

As I wrote in the initial story about this incident:

I was a trained mobile range operator while I was in the department, as a collateral duty in addition to my normal duties. These mobile range trailers were used quite extensively, and the maintenance required to keep them operational was frequent and extensive. The trailers are equipped with a desk station for the operator and two shooting stations that have electronically controlled target systems that can be set at ranges from one to 25 yards. It is a lot of equipment to maintain, and it is vital that this is done. I can't say what caused this incident today; however, it is very possible that there was a failure in the filtration system, or the filters were too saturated with lead and gunpowder residue, which could have caught fire and exploded. 

According to the LASD official, the two other deputies injured in the incident weren't inside the trailer when the explosion occurred; however, they were not spared from the damage caused by the explosion. In this security footage obtained by RedState, you can see a deputy with severe burns on his uniform and bullet-resistant vest, as well as his backside still on fire. This deputy is in stable condition.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon at Henry Mayo Hospital in Santa Clarita, where the four injured deputies were taken. 

According to Luna, there was no threat to the safety of the inmates located at the facility, as the fire was limited to the two mobile range trailers that are located outside of the inmate housing area. He stated that firefighters were still actively working the scene and proceeding extremely carefully due to the fact that there was still live ammunition in both trailers that needed to cool, to prevent further injury by ammunition that can either explode or cook off.

Our prayers are with the injured deputies and their families.