 "Several dead, others missing in massive blast at Tennessee military explosives plant")
A deadly explosion tore through a military munitions plant in Tennessee on Friday, leaving several people dead or unaccounted for, officials confirmed, as secondary blasts forced rescue teams to maintain a safe distance from the smouldering wreckage.
The powerful blast, reportedly heard and felt for miles, struck Accurate Energetic Systems, a facility that manufactures and tests explosives across eight buildings set amid wooded hills near Bucksnort, approximately 97 kilometres south-west of Nashville.
“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 said at a news conference. “We do have some that are deceased.”
The cause of the Tennessee munitions plant explosion remains unclear, and authorities have warned that the investigation could take several days, Hickman County officials said.
Aerial footage captured by WTVF-TV revealed that one of the facility’s hilltop buildings was almost completely destroyed, leaving behind charred debris and the burnt-out shells of vehicles.
While the area has been secured against large blasts, smaller detonations may still be heard, the sheriff cautioned.
Emergency responders were initially unable to enter the plant due to ongoing explosions, according to David Stewart, an Advanced EMT with Hickman County. Details regarding casualties were not immediately available.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAccurate Energetic Systems, headquartered in nearby McEwan, did not respond to requests for comment on Friday morning.
“This is a tragedy for our community,” McEwen Mayor Brad Rachford said in an email. He referred further comment to a county official.
Residents in Lobelville, a 20-minute drive from the scene, said they felt their homes shake and some people captured the loud boom of the explosion on their home cameras.
The blast rattled Gentry Stover from his sleep.
“I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,” he said by phone. “I live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that.”
State Rep. Jody Barrett, a Republican from the neighboring town Dickson, was worried about the possible economic impact because the plant is a key employer in the area.
“We live probably 15 miles as the crow flies and we absolutely heard it at the house,” Barrett said. “It sounded like something going through the roof of our house.”
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed there were injuries but wasn’t sharing any numbers because the Department of Health hasn’t confirmed them, spokesperson Kristin Coulter said by telephone. TEMA district coordinators have deployed to the area at the request of Hickman County, she said.
With inputs from agencies
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