Explosion at indoor gun range happens with customers inside in South Carolina

LEXINGTON, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) - Authorities in South Carolina are investigating what caused an explosion at an indoor shooting range with customers inside Sunday, WIS reports.

Investigators said they were called to the Kilo Charlie Shooting range in Lexington around 4 p.m. after receiving reports of an explosion.

The incident report claims the blast happened in front of firing lanes eight, nine and 10 with at least 13 people present.

“I was firing, and I noticed on the floor, it looked like sparklers were going off. And at that point, I stepped back and the whole floor exploded,” said a customer who was present for Sunday’s blast.

The customer said the indoor shooting range was flooded with dust and shrapnel when the explosion occurred.

One man was hit in the face with debris and drove himself to a nearby hospital, according to the incident report.

The customer said his gun bag and firearms were still caked with concrete dust from Sunday’s explosion as of Tuesday.

He also provided a picture of his ear protection that he says was scuffed by flying shrapnel.

“I don’t know whose fault it is, but I want somebody to own up and take responsibility. You could have cost lives. You could’ve killed families. Husbands, wives, grandparents, we were all there. Yeah, it’s an accident. We call accidents ‘accidents’ for a reason. But this was preventable. 100% preventable,” the customer said.

No explanation for what caused Sunday’s explosion has been provided, but a spokesperson for the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department says that it was most likely an accident with no criminal wrongdoing.

Kilo Charlie Shooting Range said in a statement on Facebook that it would be shutting down until further notice.

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