The U.S. Department of Defense says an explosion from an improvised device in Afghanistan has killed a soldier from western Massachusetts.

The department announced Saturday that Private 1st Class Michael Demarsico II died Thursday in Panjwa'l of wounds he suffered when he encountered the improvised device.

Demarsico was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.