Tent collapse: 22 soldiers hurt at California base

Twenty-two soldiers were injured when a blast of air from a helicopter at Fort Hunter Liggett in southern Monterey County caused a large tent to collapse late Wednesday, Army officials said.

The soldiers were treated and were back on the base Thursday morning, officials said.

The soldiers were part of a combat surgical hospital unit, said Amy Phillips, a spokeswoman for the base. They were in the tent when the rotors of a landing Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter kicked up a strong air gust that blew it over.

The soldiers, among 8,000 attending summer training, were injured at about 9:30 p.m. Most of the injuries involved bruises and head injuries that were not concussions, Phillips said.

Officials said 17 soldiers were hospitalized, most at Twin Cities Medical Center in Templeton (San Luis Obispo County). Five were treated at the base’s medical clinic.

Fort Hunter Liggett, about 170 miles south of San Francisco and 80 miles north of San Luis Obispo, is the Army’s largest reserve training installation. About 50,000 soldiers a year train there.

The soldiers involved in Wednesday night’s incident were participating in a combat support training exercise. The exercise is continuing through July 26, Phillips said.

Phillips said the fact that the incident occurred among a unit of medically trained soldiers led to an efficient response.

“They reacted quickly,” she said. “They had the proper training.”