On Thursday, two people and four others were injured when an unexplained explosion occurred at the mojave desert airport. Details are still being released, but the airport is home to Scaled Composites, the builder of SpaceShipOne, the first private manned rocket to reach the space.

It wasn't immediately clear whether any of the company's buildings or equipment were involved.

Aerospace designer Burt Rutan, who heads Scaled, told The Associated Press he had no information and was heading to the scene.

Wreckage of equipment and vehicles could be seen in an overhead view of the site broadcast by a KCAL-TV news helicopter. A sign on a truck behind a bunker had the name Scaled.

"Reports are two fatalities and at least four critical injuries," said Kern County fire Capt. Doug Johnston, who was not at the scene.

Kern County fire crews and bomb experts were en route to the scene, where there was concern that airport personnel could be exposed to hazardous materials, authorities said.

A call seeking comment from the airport manager was not immediately returned.

Source