HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Fatalities have been reported after an explosion Friday morning at a military explosives manufacturing plant in Tennessee, officials said.
Eighteen people were still unaccounted for Friday afternoon after the explosion earlier that morning at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said. Though he didn’t specify a number, he confirmed fatalities.
“There’s nothing to describe,” Davis said, when asked to describe what the facility looked like. “The building’s gone.”
The explosion took place around 7:45 a.m. at the plant located in Bucksnort, a territory along the Hickman/Humphreys county line. Accurate Energetic Systems, per its website, makes and tests explosives at the eight-building facility, which sprawls across wooded hills near Bucksnort, a town about 60 miles southwest of Nashville.
The blast reportedly encompassed an entire building that was on the facility grounds.
Davis said the families of those involved were a major priority, though he said at a later press conference that the sheriff’s office had so far been unable to update affected families on the status of their loved ones.
In a statement, AES said:
“At approximately 7:45am this morning, there was a tragic accident at our facility. Emergency response teams and investigative agencies remain on scene, and the situation is under active investigation.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, coworkers, and community members affected by this incident. We extend our gratitude to all first responders who continue to work tirelessly under difficult conditions.
We will provide updates as more verified information becomes available.“
Though some survivors were taken to a local hospital for treatment, it appeared there would be few major updates about the others into Friday evening.
“Do I see a short-term explanation? No,” said Sheriff Davis on Friday. “Do I see us being here for many days? Yes, I do see that.”
The incident is now being investigated by Tennessee’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in addition to local authorities.
Public records show that Accurate Energetic Systems sold numerous types of weapons to the U.S. military and has been awarded numerous military contracts to manufacture a variety of munitions and explosives. The contracts, which were awarded largely by the Army and Navy, were for a variety of products that ranged from bulk explosives to landmines and small breaching charges used to get through doors.
The company also uses the sprawling campus to test explosives, according to it’s website, measuring the velocity of explosions as well as their impact on surrounding areas under varying environmental conditions. The website says that facilities can safely accommodate explosives with up to 35 pounds of “net explosive weight,” and conducts daily tests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.