Mass. soldier killed in training at Fort Bragg

Seven more were injured in N.C.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A Special Forces soldier from Massachusetts has been killed in a training exercise involving demolitions at the Army’s largest base.

Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable died yesterday during the exercise.

Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command, which is based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, said that the cause of Dalida’s death is under investigation.

Dalida, who enlisted in 2006, was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne).

Officials at Fort Bragg confirmed that Dalida was killed and seven other soldiers were hurt during a demolitions training exercise at a range on the installation. The extent of the injuries suffered by the other seven in the blast were not immediately available.

The soldiers were students in the Special Forces Qualification Course at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

The incident involved a cadre and students from the Special Warfare Center and School, USASOC said in a post on its official Facebook page yesterday.

The seven injured soldiers were taken to the Army base’s Womack Army Medical Center and other nearby hospitals.

The explosion happened when a vehicle rolled over in a remote part of the base, according to the report.

“There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges,” Bockholt told The Associated Press. “We’re looking into exactly what happened.”

‘There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges. We’re looking into exactly what happened.’ — Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command

The cause of the explosion is unknown, Bockholt told the AP.

No other information, including the identity of those injured, was immediately available.