Several dead and missing after explosion at Tennessee munitions plant, sheriff says

Published on 10/10/2025 - 19:28 GMT+2

An detonation astatine a subject munitions works successful nan US near respective group dormant and missing, authorities said connected Friday, arsenic secondary blasts forced rescuers to support their region from nan burning section of debris.

The explosion, which group reported proceeding and emotion miles away, occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems successful Tennessee.

The company's website says it makes and tests explosives astatine an eight-building installation that sprawls crossed wooded hills adjacent Bucksnort, a municipality astir 97 kilometres southwest of nan authorities capital, Nashville.

"We do person respective group astatine this clip unaccounted for. We are trying to beryllium mindful of families and that situation," Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said astatine a news conference.

"We do person immoderate that are deceased."

The origin of nan detonation was not instantly known and Davis said nan investigation could return days.

Aerial footage of nan aftermath by WTVF-TV showed nan detonation had apparently obliterated 1 of nan facility’s hilltop buildings, leaving only smouldering wreckage and nan burnt-out shells of vehicles.

The sheriff added that though nan segment was unafraid from ample explosions, smaller ones whitethorn still beryllium heard.

Emergency crews were initially incapable to participate nan works because of continuing detonations, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart said by phone. He didn’t person immoderate specifications connected casualties.

Accurate Energetic Systems, based successful adjacent McEwan, did not instantly respond to property enquiries for comment.

"This is simply a calamity for our community," McEwen Mayor Brad Rachford said successful an email. He referred further remark to a region official.

Residents successful Lobelville, a 20-minute thrust from nan scene, said they felt their homes shingle and immoderate group captured nan large roar of nan detonation connected their location cameras.

State Representative Jody Barrett, a Republican from nan neighbouring municipality Dickson, said he was worried astir nan imaginable economical effect because nan works is simply a cardinal employer successful nan area.

"We unrecorded astir apt 15 miles arsenic nan crow flies and we perfectly heard it astatine nan house," Barrett said. "It sounded for illustration thing going done nan tile of our house."

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed location were injuries but wasn’t sharing immoderate numbers because nan Department of Health hasn't confirmed them, spokesperson Kristin Coulter said by telephone.