Musket fired inside Westford Museum; no one injured

A musket was fired inside a Massachusetts museum Sunday, accidentally sending a projectile into a wooden pole and ceiling beam. No one was injured.

The incident occurred sometime between 2:30 and 3 p.m. at the Westford Museum, The Boston Globe reported. The 6th Middlesex Regiment reenactment group was holding a meeting at the time. The regiment is not affiliated with the museum.

“The muskets were not supposed to have live ammunition and part of their meeting was supposed to be outside,” Leslie Howard, president of the Westford Historical Society and Museum, said in an e-mail to the Globe.

The musket was fired as the regiment practiced for an upcoming Patriots’ Day reenactment, WCVB reported.

Howard contacted the Westford Police Department after confirming that no one was injured. Officers responded to investigate, and the musket was confiscated.

“Any time a firearm is involved, whether it has a live round or has cartridges, it can be very dangerous,” Jim Peloquin of the Westford Police Department told WCVB.

About 25 people were in the room at the time, according to the Globe. The building did not sustain any structural damage, and the projectile lodged into a ceiling beam. It did not exit into the second floor.

“I hope that they do continue to do the reenacting because I think I enjoy seeing the reenactments. I think it can be fun for children to see and really bring history alive,” Howard told WCVB. “I just hope that it doesn’t bring it too alive.”