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Blast at space tourism test site Blast at space tourism test site
(about 3 hours later)
Two people have been killed and four others seriously hurt in an explosion at a rocket-testing site in the US state of California, officials say. Three people have been killed and three others seriously hurt in an explosion at a rocket-testing site in the US state of California, officials say.
The blast happened at the Mojave Air and Space Port, which is owned by the space tourism pioneer Burt Rutan. The blast happened at the Mojave Air and Space Port, owned by space tourism pioneer Burt Rutan.
Mr Rutan said the incident happened during a test of the flow of nitrous oxide through an injector.Mr Rutan said the incident happened during a test of the flow of nitrous oxide through an injector.
The gas is used to test rockets which Mr Rutan's company is developing to offer tourists a chance to visit space.The gas is used to test rockets which Mr Rutan's company is developing to offer tourists a chance to visit space.
The explosion occurred at 1430 local time (2130 GMT). Two people were killed instantly and the third died later in hospital.
Local TV showed pictures taken from a helicopter showing debris scattered over a wide area of the Mojave desert, north of the city of Los Angeles. The explosion occurred at 1430 local time (2130 GMT) on Thursday.
Speaking to the Associated Press news agency, Mr Rutan - who was not at the site at the time - described the incident as a "very big deal". Local TV broadcast pictures taken from a helicopter showing debris scattered over across the area in the Mojave desert, north of Los Angeles.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Mr Rutan - who was not at the site at the time - described the incident as a "very big deal".
At a later news conference, Mr Rutan said officials did not yet know why the explosion occurred and added that nitrous oxide was not normally considered a hazardous material.
The site's general manager, Stuart Witt, said the area's activities were "inherently risky".
"These are not the days we look forward to but we deal with it," Mr Witt told AP.