\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNineteen people are dead or missing after a massive blast obliterated a building at a Tennessee explosives facility on Friday, authorities said \u2014 a \u201cmass detonation\u201d so significant that it rattled homes miles away.The early-morning explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, which manufactures military and demolitions explosives, left charred debris and mangled vehicles across a vast area. The blast was felt as far as 15 miles away and scattered debris over half a square mile.Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said there are fatalities but did not want to declare a death toll yet \u2014 just that \u201cwe\u2019re missing 19 souls.\u201d\u201cI always wish for the best,\u201d Davis said. \u201cIs there a possibility that somebody might be injured somewhere, or somebody that we don\u2019t know about? Yes.\u201dDavis described the aftermath of the explosion as \u201cthe most devastating scene that I\u2019ve seen in my career.\u201d\u201cIt\u2019s hell,\u201d Davis told reporters Friday evening. \u201cIt\u2019s hell on us. It\u2019s hell on everybody involved.\u201dVideo below: Aerial footage shows the extent of the damageWork at the explosion site will continue into the night, he said.\u201cWe\u2019re working for our people, and we want to take care of our families,\u201d an emotional Davis said. \u201cI understand that some families get mad. I understand that some people get upset \u2026 We\u2019re doing the very best we can to take care of this.\u201dDavis said investigators from multiple agencies have been assisting with the response but have not yet determined what caused the explosion. The FBI will be assisting.\u201cDo I see a short-term explanation? No. Do I see us being here for many days? Yes, I do see that,\u201d he said.Families of the victims were still being notified, said Davis, noting that people were undergoing a \u201cgauntlet of emotions\u201d as first responders continued to search the area. The tragedy hit close-knit communities.\u201cI can tell you right off the top of my head that there\u2019s three families that\u2019s involved in this that I\u2019m very close to,\u201d Davis said. \u201cWhen you have small counties like this, we know each other, we communicate with each other, we love each other.\u201dThe blast shook nearby homes and set off smaller explosions, local officials say.The explosion, which happened around 7:45 a.m. local time, was a \u201cdevastating blast\u201d but responders were able to secure the scene by late morning, Davis said.Three people with \u201cminor injuries\u201d from the explosion were treated at TriStar medical facilities in Dickson, Casey Stapp, the spokesperson for TriStar Health, said. Stapp said two people were released, and one person is still receiving treatment at an emergency room.Accurate Energetic Systems is located about an hour southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, on the Hickman and Humphreys County line, the Humphreys County Sheriff\u2019s Office told CNN.The Hickman County Sheriff\u2019s Office is asking everyone to avoid the area as emergency responders do their work.Numerous law enforcement resources from across the state of Tennessee have been dispatched to assist in the investigation, a source familiar told CNN.Those personnel include federal agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, among other agencies. The relatively remote area is typically patrolled by smaller law enforcement departments, the person said, which has prompted other agencies to volunteer resources for support.Investigation may last \u2018for days,\u2019 mayor saysHickman County Mayor Jim Bates said the facility has about 80 employees, but it\u2019s unclear how many were in the building when the explosion happened. Bates said one building on the site was completely destroyed.\u201cIt\u2019s pretty devastating to see this,\u201d Bates said.\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an investigation that\u2019s probably going to go on for days,\u201d the mayor said. \u201cThis facility, they do manufacture, not only military, but demolition explosives for road work and things like that.\u201dTennessee state Sen. Kerry Roberts told CNN the facility sits on a 1,300-acre campus and is a beloved employer for many people in the community.He said it\u2019s common to see employees at community events and people wearing baseball caps with the company name on them.\u201cIt is a well-loved company in the area,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSo this is going to have a devastating impact on quite a few families \u2026 it is heartbreaking.\u201dResidents who live near the facility say they felt the impact of the explosion.\u201cI thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,\u201d Gentry Stover told The Associated Press by phone. \u201cI live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that.\u201dCody Warren, who lives in Lobelville which is 21 miles away from the facility, said the sound from the explosion woke him up and he thought lightning struck his house.Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in making military explosives, according to the Humphreys County Sheriff\u2019s Office.The company\u2019s Facebook page says it manufactures \u201cvarious high explosive compositions and specialty products for the U.S. DoD and U.S. Industrial markets.\u201dLast month, the US Department of Defense awarded Accurate Energetic Systems a contract for nearly $120 million \u201cfor the procurement of TNT.\u201dPlant had previous blast, OSHA finesThe plant suffered another blast that killed a worker a decade ago, according to media reports, and federal data shows it had faced fines related to work safety practices.In April 2014, one person was killed and four others injured during a blast at the plant, CNN affiliate WSMV reported. The explosion, in the back of a building that housed shotgun ammunition, caused extensive damage. At the time, authorities said several companies operated on the Accurate Energetic Systems property but the blast happened in an area operated by Rio Ammunition.In the player below: Here is a look at what the plant looked like after the 2014 explosionYears later, records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration show Accurate Energetic Systems was fined $7,200 after a 2019 inspection found violations for standards involving the use of personal protective equipment, employee exposure to contaminants and employee training about safety hazards, among other citations.The records show the company contested the violations and eventually came to a formal settlement. Additional details about the inspection and its conclusions weren\u2019t immediately available, and it\u2019s not clear whether the plant has faced any more recent health or safety inspections.Over the last nine years, Accurate Energetic Systems filed annual injury reports with OSHA showing it had a total of 46 work-related injuries, but no work-related deaths going back to 2016, the earliest year with data available. In 2024, the most recent year data was available, the company reported five injuries and one other illness.In 2021, a former employee sued and alleged they were improperly terminated after being blamed for a fire that broke out at the facility the previous year. The company disputed that claim and the suit was dropped after mediation.CNN has reached out to Accurate Energetic Systems for comment.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Nineteen people are dead or missing after a massive blast obliterated a building at a Tennessee explosives facility on Friday, authorities said \u2014 a \u201cmass detonation\u201d so significant that it rattled homes miles away.<\/p>\n
The early-morning explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, which manufactures military and demolitions explosives, left charred debris and mangled vehicles across a vast area. The blast was felt as far as 15 miles away and scattered debris over half a square mile.<\/p>\n
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said there are fatalities but did not want to declare a death toll yet \u2014 just that \u201cwe\u2019re missing 19 souls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI always wish for the best,\u201d Davis said. \u201cIs there a possibility that somebody might be injured somewhere, or somebody that we don\u2019t know about? Yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davis described the aftermath of the explosion as \u201cthe most devastating scene that I\u2019ve seen in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hell,\u201d Davis told reporters Friday evening. \u201cIt\u2019s hell on us. It\u2019s hell on everybody involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Video below: Aerial footage shows the extent of the damage<\/p>\n
Work at the explosion site will continue into the night, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working for our people, and we want to take care of our families,\u201d an emotional Davis said. \u201cI understand that some families get mad. I understand that some people get upset \u2026 We\u2019re doing the very best we can to take care of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davis said investigators from multiple agencies have been assisting with the response but have not yet determined what caused the explosion. The FBI will be assisting.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I see a short-term explanation? No. Do I see us being here for many days? Yes, I do see that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Families of the victims were still being notified, said Davis, noting that people were undergoing a \u201cgauntlet of emotions\u201d as first responders continued to search the area. The tragedy hit close-knit communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can tell you right off the top of my head that there\u2019s three families that\u2019s involved in this that I\u2019m very close to,\u201d Davis said. \u201cWhen you have small counties like this, we know each other, we communicate with each other, we love each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
The blast shook nearby homes and set off smaller explosions, local officials say.<\/p>\n
The explosion, which happened around 7:45 a.m. local time, was a \u201cdevastating blast\u201d but responders were able to secure the scene by late morning, Davis said.<\/p>\n
Three people with \u201cminor injuries\u201d from the explosion were treated at TriStar medical facilities in Dickson, Casey Stapp, the spokesperson for TriStar Health, said. Stapp said two people were released, and one person is still receiving treatment at an emergency room.<\/p>\n
Accurate Energetic Systems is located about an hour southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, on the Hickman and Humphreys County line, the Humphreys County Sheriff\u2019s Office told CNN.<\/p>\n
The Hickman County Sheriff\u2019s Office is asking everyone to avoid the area as emergency responders do their work.<\/p>\n
Numerous law enforcement resources from across the state of Tennessee have been dispatched to assist in the investigation, a source familiar told CNN.<\/p>\n
Those personnel include federal agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, among other agencies. The relatively remote area is typically patrolled by smaller law enforcement departments, the person said, which has prompted other agencies to volunteer resources for support.<\/p>\n
Investigation may last \u2018for days,\u2019 mayor says<\/p>\n
Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates said the facility has about 80 employees, but it\u2019s unclear how many were in the building when the explosion happened. Bates said one building on the site was completely destroyed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty devastating to see this,\u201d Bates said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an investigation that\u2019s probably going to go on for days,\u201d the mayor said. \u201cThis facility, they do manufacture, not only military, but demolition explosives for road work and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tennessee state Sen. Kerry Roberts told CNN the facility sits on a 1,300-acre campus and is a beloved employer for many people in the community.<\/p>\n
He said it\u2019s common to see employees at community events and people wearing baseball caps with the company name on them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a well-loved company in the area,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSo this is going to have a devastating impact on quite a few families \u2026 it is heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
Residents who live near the facility say they felt the impact of the explosion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,\u201d Gentry Stover told The Associated Press by phone. \u201cI live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cody Warren, who lives in Lobelville which is 21 miles away from the facility, said the sound from the explosion woke him up and he thought lightning struck his house.<\/p>\n
Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in making military explosives, according to the Humphreys County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> says it manufactures \u201cvarious high explosive compositions and specialty products for the U.S. DoD and U.S. Industrial markets.\u201d<\/p>\n Last month, the US Department of Defense awarded Accurate Energetic Systems<\/a> a contract for nearly $120 million \u201cfor the procurement of TNT.\u201d<\/p>\n Plant had previous blast, OSHA fines<\/p>\n The plant suffered another blast that killed a worker a decade ago, according to media reports, and federal data shows it had faced fines related to work safety practices.<\/p>\n In April 2014, one person was killed and four others injured during a blast at the plant, CNN affiliate WSMV reported<\/a>. The explosion, in the back of a building that housed shotgun ammunition, caused extensive damage. At the time, authorities said several companies operated on the Accurate Energetic Systems property but the blast happened in an area operated by Rio Ammunition.<\/p>\n In the player below: Here is a look at what the plant looked like after the 2014 explosion<\/p>\n Years later, records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration show Accurate Energetic Systems was fined<\/a> $7,200 after a 2019 inspection found violations for standards involving the use of personal protective equipment, employee exposure to contaminants and employee training about safety hazards, among other citations.<\/p>\n The records show the company contested the violations and eventually came to a formal settlement. Additional details about the inspection and its conclusions weren\u2019t immediately available, and it\u2019s not clear whether the plant has faced any more recent health or safety inspections.<\/p>\n