A massive explosion at a military explosives manufacturing facility in Bucksnort, Tennessee, has left 19 people missing and several others injured. The blast, which occurred on Friday morning, levelled the Accurate Energetic Systems factory, leaving behind smouldering debris and charred vehicles.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed that four or five people were taken to nearby hospitals, while several others are believed to have died. “There’s nothing to describe, it’s gone,” Davis said, visibly emotional during a press briefing. He referred to the missing workers as “19 souls,” noting that they had just begun their workday when tragedy struck.
The explosion was powerful enough to be felt over 15 miles away in Waverly, with debris scattered across a half-square-mile radius. Sheriff Davis explained that secondary blasts made it too dangerous for first responders to approach the site immediately.
Accurate Energetic Systems, which occupies roughly 1,300 acres, specializes in producing military-grade explosives such as C-4 and TNT. The company has since suspended all operations as investigations begin. The cause of the explosion remains unknown, and authorities have not ruled out any possibilities.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee described the incident as “tragic” and confirmed that state and local agencies are working with federal investigators, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The scene has since been secured and declared stable.
Medical officials reported treating several patients for minor injuries, while hospitals across nearby counties prepared for additional cases.
The facility has a troubled history in 2014, an explosion at the same site, then operated by Rio Ammunition, killed one person and injured three others. Experts have since described the explosives manufacturing industry as “high-hazard but low-probability” when safety standards are properly followed.
Authorities say the investigation will be “slow and methodical” as they work to determine what caused the deadly blast.
