Tennessee, Oct 11 (V7N) – At least 19 people were killed and several others remain missing after a powerful explosion ripped through a military explosives manufacturing plant in the U.S. state of Tennessee, according to BBC and CNN reports. Authorities fear the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
 
Local officials said the massive blast occurred early Friday morning, shaking nearby homes and triggering a series of smaller secondary explosions. The incident took place at around 7:45 a.m. local time at the Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC facility, located near the border of Hickman and Humphreys counties, about an hour southwest of Nashville.
 
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis described the event as a “catastrophic explosion” during a press briefing, confirming that several people were dead and others unaccounted for. “We can confirm multiple fatalities at this time,” Davis said. “Our teams were able to secure the site by late morning, but several workers are still missing.”
 
Emergency crews from multiple agencies responded immediately, working to contain fires and assess the extent of the damage. Officials said they were maintaining a safe distance due to the risk of further explosions.
 
Residents living near the factory reported feeling their homes shake violently. Gentry Stover, a local resident, told the Associated Press, “I thought my house had collapsed. I live very close to the Accurate facility. Within seconds of waking up, I knew something terrible had happened.”
 
Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in producing high-intensity explosive compounds and specialized products for the U.S. Department of Defense and the commercial defense industry. The company’s Facebook page notes its involvement in manufacturing advanced energetic materials for defense applications.
 
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to operate safely. Hickman County Sheriff’s Office has also requested residents to remain alert and follow official instructions as investigations continue into the cause of the explosion.
 
Preliminary reports indicate that the facility was fully operational at the time of the blast, and a full-scale investigation involving federal and state agencies is now underway.
 
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