Seven killed in blast at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada

Seven US Marines have been killed and others injured after a mortar shell exploded unexpectedly during a training accident in the US state of Nevada.

A Marine Corps official said the blast occurred on Monday night at the Hawthorne Army Depot.

At least eight men are in hospital, three in a serious condition and five in a stable condition.

It is not clear if the mortar exploded prematurely in its firing tube or if more than a single round exploded.

The US Marines Corps has banned use of 60mm mortars, which normally need three to four troops to operate, until an investigation can establish what caused the incident.

Those caught in the blast at 22:00 local time (05:00 GMT on Tuesday) were members of the 2nd Marine Division.

Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno said it had received nine patients, one of whom died.