Tennessee Munitions Plant Explosion Kills, Injures, Leaves Several Missing

By Staff, Agencies

A massive explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant on Friday left multiple people dead or missing, authorities said, as rescuers initially kept their distance due to a burning debris field and the risk of secondary explosions.

The blast occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems, located in rural Tennessee’s Bucksnort area, about 60 miles [97 kilometers] southwest of Nashville. The company produces and tests explosives across an eight-building facility situated on wooded hills. Locals reported feeling the explosion miles away.

“We do have several people at this time unaccounted for. We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told reporters. “We do have some that are deceased”. The cause of the explosion, which Davis called “devastating”, remains unknown, and a full investigation could take days.

Aerial footage showed one of the facility’s hilltop buildings completely destroyed, leaving smoldering wreckage and charred vehicle shells. Grey Collier, spokesperson for the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency, said by Friday afternoon that there was no further danger of explosions and that the scene was under control.

Emergency crews were initially unable to access the plant due to ongoing detonations, according to Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart. Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwen, did not respond to requests for comment.

Local residents described the force of the explosion. Gentry Stover said the blast shook his home as he slept, initially making him think his house had collapsed. State Representative Jody Barrett noted concerns over the economic impact, as the plant is a major local employer.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed injuries but did not release specific numbers, stating that the Department of Health had not yet confirmed details. TEMA district coordinators have been deployed to the scene at the request of Hickman County.