South Bend Police Chief gives update on officer’s condition injured in training accident

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski gave the newsroom an update Wednesday morning on Sgt. Harvey Mills, the officer who was injured in the explosion at the department’s bomb disposal facility.

Mills is currently being treated at I-U Medical Center in Indianapolis. Chief Ruszkowski said Mills had surgery late Tuesday night on his arm, and another will follow. He was also treated for some of his burns during the lengthy procedure.

“Now the burns were from head to toe,” Chief Ruszkowski said.

“They weren’t severe from head to toe, but about 8-percent of his body is second and third degree burns. That’s fixable. He will get his sight fully back and his hearing…they’re not sure, he has it, but he did rupture both eardrums. Both orbital sockets and his nose were broken. It was a lot of devastating damage.”

Chief Ruszkowski says Sgt. Mills is in excellent spirits and making the nursing staff laugh, which is typical of him.