MCEWAN, Tenn. (BN24) – Sixteen people are believed to have died after a massive explosion tore through an explosives manufacturing plant in Tennessee on Friday morning, officials said, as recovery teams continue to search the site for remains and clues to what caused the deadly blast.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said Saturday evening that authorities have not found any survivors in the debris of the Accurate Energetic Systems facility near McEwen, roughly 60 miles west of Nashville.
“At this time, I can tell you that we have not located any survivors. And we are making the assumption that all are deceased,” Davis said during a news conference.
Eighteen people were initially reported unaccounted for after the explosion, which occurred at around 7:45 a.m. Friday. Two were later confirmed not to have been at the site despite their vehicles and belongings being found in the parking area, reducing the presumed death toll to 16.
More than 300 personnel have searched the destroyed facility, which satellite images show has been reduced to scattered debris. “As we get into this, we find it even more devastating than what we thought initially,” Davis said.
The victims’ names have not been publicly released, but families of all 16 presumed dead have been notified, Davis added.
The explosion engulfed one entire building of the privately owned facility, which specializes in processing ammunition and explosives. The cause remains under investigation by local authorities and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which has dispatched explosives specialists and bomb technicians to secure the site.
Special Agent Guy McCormick of the ATF said Saturday that residual explosives at the site may have become unstable due to the intense heat and pressure of the blast. Controlled detonations will continue in the coming days to safely dispose of hazardous materials, according to the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency.
There is no ongoing threat to the public, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said, urging residents to stay clear of the area while recovery efforts continue. Residents who find debris from the blast are being asked to contact local sheriff’s offices so trained personnel can handle the material safely.
Accurate Energetic Systems issued a brief statement expressing condolences to the families, employees, and community members affected by the explosion. A family assistance center has been set up to support those impacted.
Nearby residents described the explosion as powerful enough to shake homes miles away. “There was a huge boom and my house shook very hard,” said Felicity Howell, a nurse at a local middle school who lives about 10 miles from the site. “It honestly felt like a vehicle drove through our house.”
On Friday night, community members gathered in nearby Centerville for a candlelight vigil to mourn the victims.
The FBI is assisting local and federal investigators as they work to determine what triggered one of the deadliest industrial explosions in Tennessee’s recent history.
