Blast at Tennessee explosives plant leaves 19 missing, feared dead: Sheriff

An explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant Friday left 19 people missing and feared dead, authorities said.

Humphreys Count Sheriff Chris Davis said it was one of the most devastating scenes he's ever seen. He did not specify how many people were killed but referred to the 19 missing as souls and said officials were still speaking to family.

The blast, which people reported hearing and feeling miles away, occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems in rural Tennessee. The company's website says it makes and tests explosives at an eight-building facility that sprawls across wooded hills in the Bucksnort area, about 97 km southwest of Nashville.

The cause of the explosion, which Davis called devastating," was not immediately known, and the investigation could take days, the sheriff said.

Aerial footage of the aftermath by WTVF-TV showed the explosion had apparently obliterated one of the facility's hilltop buildings, leaving only smoldering wreckage and the burnt-out shells of vehicles.

There's no further danger of explosions, and the scene was under control Friday afternoon, according to Grey Collier, a spokesperson for the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency.

Emergency crews were initially unable to enter the plant because of continuing detonations, Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart said by phone. He didn't have any details on casualties.

Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwen, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment 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 neighbouring town of 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.