A catastrophic explosion at a Tennessee bomb factory on Friday has left 19 people unaccounted for and feared dead, according to local authorities. The blast occurred at approximately 7:45 a.m. local time at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant, situated on the border of Hickman and Humphreys County, west of Nashville. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed fatalities and missing persons, but did not provide specific numbers.
The explosion, described by Sheriff Davis as the “most devastating scene” he’s witnessed in his career, completely destroyed one building on the McEwen property. Accurate Energetic Systems, a company that manufactures and tests explosives for the government, is located several miles away from residential and commercial areas.
The blast took place in the Melt Pour building, where explosive materials are liquefied and poured into canisters, according to an employee. These canisters are then packed into boxes, stacked on pallets, and loaded into trucks. The company handles both government and non-government contracts. Typically, fewer than 30 people are inside the Melt Pour building at any given time.
At the time of the explosion, 19 employees were inside the building, all of whom remain unaccounted for, according to Humphreys County EMA Director Odell Poyner. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and officials anticipate it could take several days to determine what went wrong.
Security footage from a residence 21 miles away captured the moment a single deafening “boom” echoed through the area, strong enough to shake the ground and the camera. The blast was felt as far as an hour’s drive away.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been called to the scene. Emergency crews were initially unable to enter the plant due to ongoing detonations, but the area was secured early Friday afternoon. Authorities have asked the public to avoid the area, and investigators are expected to remain on site for several days.
Accurate Energetic Systems, operating since 1980, describes itself as “a leader in the energetics and explosives industry.” The company is located in McEwen, a rural area of Tennessee known for its annual National Banana Pudding Festival.
This is not the first deadly explosion to occur in the small town. In 2014, an explosion at Rio Ammunition during the company’s cartridge loading operations resulted in one fatality and three injuries. That incident was ruled an accident.