---
title: "Two killed in explosion at Connecticut VA hospital"
description: "An explosion at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Connecticut has left several people with \"serious injuries,\" the Associated Press reports"
date: "2020-11-13"
modified: "2020-11-13"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/west-haven-va-medical-center-explosion/"
categories:
  - "Around the World"
  - "News"
  - "United States"
tags:
  - "death"
  - "Northern Command"
---

# Two killed in explosion at Connecticut VA hospital

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/emtfnwbxyaeuf3l.jpg>)

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/02/MTc2NzkwNTg5MjUyMDUyOTM0-image-5.jpg>)
*The VA Medical Center in West Haven, Connecticut*

An explosion killed two people at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Connecticut on Friday, the VA [said](<https://twitter.com/LeoShane/status/1327273185365139456>) in a statement.

"Neither of the victims were VA patients and patient care was not affected" at the VA Medical Center in West Haven, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie [said](<https://twitter.com/LeoShane/status/1327273185365139456>) in a statement.

The Connecticut State Police [announced](<https://twitter.com/CT_STATE_POLICE/status/1327262459996954625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1327262459996954625%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courant.com%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhc-br-west-haven-va-hospital-explosion-20201113-7kwigxujpbgqvia36ze3wnmzxq-story.html>) Friday morning that fire investigators are responding to the scene of the incident.

Brian Foley, a top aide to state Public Safety Commissioner James Rovella, initially [told](<https://apnews.com/article/us-news-connecticut-fires-veterans-veterans-affairs-75a95285d7af5367edf87d8f20e5ca74?utm_medium=AP&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter>) the AP that “an explosion type incident” had yielded "serious injuries."

An unnamed VA spokesman [told](<https://www.wtnh.com/news/breaking-news/west-haven-pd-responding-to-incident-at-va-hospital/>) local TV station WTNH that the incident "was due to a leak in the steam plant" which the victims were tasked with fixing.

WTNH [reported](<https://www.wtnh.com/news/breaking-news/west-haven-pd-responding-to-incident-at-va-hospital/>) that smoke was seen rising from the building.

State and local authorities are leading the investigation, but the Federal Bureau of Investigation "will assist" as needed, [according](<https://www.stripes.com/news/us/serious-injuries-reported-in-explosion-at-va-hospital-in-connecticut-1.652009>) to an FBI spokesman in New Haven.

"Our prayers are with the families of the victims of this explosion," Wilkie said. "More information will be provided as it becomes confirmed and available.”

https://twitter.com/AishaMbTV/status/1327259654599159810

*This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they become available*

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbkeller/>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jaredbkelller/>)