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1st LD Writethru: SpaceX's Falcon 9 explodes on launch pad, no injuries reported

Xinhua, September 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded Thursday on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, but no injuries were reported, the California-based company said.

"SpaceX can confirm that in preparation for today's static fire, there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload," the company said in a statement.

"Per standard procedure, the pad was clear and there were no injuries," said the statement.

The U.S. Air Force's 45th Space Wing, which is responsible for public safety during launches from Cape Canaveral, tweeted that the explosion occurred at 9:07 a.m. EDT (1307 GMT) and that initial reports indicated no causalities and no threat to public safety.

Pictures of black smoke rising from the SpaceX launch complex were circulating on Twitter.

"The rocket is currently in flames," Robin Seemangal, a reporter with the Observer, tweeted. "Small explosions can be heard. The explosion occurred during a static test fire."

The Falcon 9 rocket was originally meant to launch an Israeli satellite this weekend. Endi