US: 19 feared dead in massive plant explosion in Tennessee
What's the story
A devastating explosion rocked the Accurate Energetic Systems plant in rural Tennessee in the United States of America on Friday, leaving 19 people missing and feared dead, according to authorities. The blast occurred around 7:45am local time at the Hickman-Humphreys County facility, west of Nashville, which manufactures and tests explosives for government contracts. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis described it to the New York Post as "the most devastating scene that I've seen in my career."
Aftermath
Blast leveled building, burnt vehicle shells
The explosion completely leveled one of the plant's buildings, leaving only smoldering wreckage and burnt-out vehicle shells. The blast was so powerful that it was felt miles away, with residents in Lobelville reporting their homes shook. State Representative Jody Barrett also felt the impact at her home in Dickson, even though it is 15 miles (24 kilometers) away from the site. "It sounded like something going through the roof of our house," she said.
Response efforts
Cause of explosion unknown, investigation underway
Emergency crews initially faced challenges entering the plant due to ongoing detonations. However, by Friday afternoon, the scene was under control and there was no further danger of explosions. Grey Collier from Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency confirmed the development. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, and an investigation is underway, which could take several days to determine what went wrong.
Company profile
Plant not first tragedy in McEwen
Accurate Energetic Systems has been operating since 1980, describing itself as "a leader in the energetics and explosives industry." The company works with military acquisition offices, defense and aerospace primes, and commercial demolition sectors. This isn't the first tragedy to hit McEwen; a similar incident at Rio Ammunition in 2014 killed one man and injured three others during cartridge loading operations.