Authorities in Tennessee fear that eighteen people have died following a massive explosion at an explosives manufacturing facility in the town of Bucksnort.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed during a news conference on Saturday that the 18 individuals missing since the blast on Friday are presumed dead. “We can assume that they are deceased at this time,” Davis said.
The factory, operated by Accurate Energetic Systems, produces explosives for both military and demolition use. The devastating blast destroyed an entire building within the company’s large complex, shaking nearby homes and scattering debris across a wide area, according to local media reports.
Sheriff Davis revealed that DNA testing would be conducted to identify victims but noted that recovery efforts would be challenging due to the condition of the site. “But we’re going to have to slow walk that because of the scene, the way that the scene is,” he explained.
Accurate Energetic Systems described the incident as “a tragic accident” in an official statement, while authorities have yet to rule out other possibilities. “Can I say we’re going to rule out foul play? We can’t answer that. That might be days or weeks or months before we can do that,” Davis added.
Federal agencies, including the FBI, have been deployed to assist local authorities in investigating the cause of the explosion.
What you should know
Eighteen people are feared dead after a Tennessee explosives factory explosion destroyed a building in Bucksnort.
Sheriff Chris Davis said DNA testing will be needed to identify victims, while federal agencies, including the FBI, have joined the investigation to determine the cause of the blast.
