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Almost a dozen US Army soldiers at Fort Bliss in Texas were hospitalized after ingesting an unknown substance, base officials said in a statement.
The eleven soldiers fell ill on Thursday during a field training exercise after consuming a substance "outside of authorized food supply distribution channels," the public affairs office for the 1st Armored Division said.
The injured service members, which include one warrant officer, two non-commissioned officers and eight enlisted members, are all currently receiving treatment at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, where two of the soldiers are in critical condition.
The hospital is located on base and is "one of America's largest and most complex health care institutions, and the world's preeminent military health care delivery operation," according to the medical facility's website.
The Army is investigating what substance the soldiers ingested, which still remains unknown. Fort Bliss officials, according to the latest statement on the incident, are with law enforcement officials to investigate what happened.
"The substance and how it was provided is still being investigated. I can confirm we do not suspect it was associated with an MRE. Everything else is being investigated,"1st Armored Division a public affairs official told Army Times, which first reported the developments at Fort Bliss. The official was referring to the Meals Ready-to-Eat packages that troops consume during field exercises.
An Army official with knowledge of the investigation told The Washington Post that early evidence indicated the soldiers might have consumed antifreeze or some similar chemical, perhaps mistaking its for something else.
"We took immediate action to treat everyone involved with the best medical care available," Maj. Gen. Sean C. Bernabe, senior mission commander of 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, said in a statement.
"Our Leaders are engaged at every level to provide guidance, information, and care for their teammates," he added, stating that "our commitment to our Soldiers and Families remains our number one priority as we work to understand what occurred Jan. 28."
More information on what occurred at Fort Bliss is expected later Friday.
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