Fort Jackson accident leaves two soldiers dead, six injured

FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- Military officials say two soldiers are dead and six are hurt after a military vehicle struck them while they were in formation at an Army base in South Carolina. 

Fort Jackson officials say two of the six soldiers injured Friday afternoon were in critical condition and all of the soldiers hurt were taken to a hospital off the base near Columbia.

The statement from Fort Jackson called the incident a "tragic accident," but did not give details about where the wreck happened or the type of vehicle involved. 

Fort Jackson says the names of the soldiers killed will be released after families are notified. 

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the soldiers we lost today and to the families of the injured, they represent the best of our Nation and we will endeavor to support all those affected through this difficult time," U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson Commander Maj. Gen. Pete Johnson told CBS affiliate WLTX.   

The Army says it has started a thorough investigation.

Fort Jackson is the Army's largest training instillation, with more than 50,000 recruits assigned there each year.

The South Carolina National Guard tweeted out to Ft. Jackson's Twitter account "our thoughts and prayers are with you all."

In:
• South Carolina