BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - A blast at an Argentine research base in Antarctica has killed an army officer.

Argentina's Ministry of Defense says Tuesday's explosion at the Esperanza base was caused by inflammable material leftovers. The ministry says the blast happened when officers were trying to retrieve the inflammable material but didn't provide further details.

The base is located in Punta Foca, north of the Antarctic peninsula. It is used to research topics including glaciology, biology and seismography.

The explosion is being investigated by a federal judge in the city of Ushuaia, about 1,860 miles south of Buenos Aires.