A massive explosion at a bomb factory has left several people dead and 19 others 'unaccounted for'.
The blast tore through the Accurate Energetic Systems facility - a military munitions plant located in rural Tennessee, an hour's drive west of Nashville - sending shockwaves across Humphreys County and forcing emergency crews to hold back as smaller explosions continued to erupt, authorities confirmed today (October 10).
The incident happened at around midday today (local time) at the sprawling eight-building site, which manufactures and tests explosives for military use.
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Sheriff Chris Davis of Humphreys County confirmed at a press briefing that the situation remains 'extremely serious' as crews work to locate the missing workers.
"We do have several people at this time unaccounted for. We are trying to be mindful of families and that situation,” he said. "We do have some that are deceased."
Videos captured from nearby roads showed thick black smoke and flames towering above the wooded hills surrounding the facility. Locals also reported hearing a deafening boom that could be felt for miles, with homes shaking as if struck by an earthquake.
“I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,” explained Gentry Stover, a nearby resident. "I live very close to Accurate and realised about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that."
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Emergency responders initially struggled to enter the site because of continued detonations, according to Hickman County Advanced EMT David Stewart.
Even hours later, smaller blasts could still be heard echoing through the area, though officials say the risk of a large-scale explosion has subsided.
Accurate Energetic Systems, headquartered in McEwen, has not yet issued a public statement.
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The town's Mayor Brad Rachford called the incident 'a tragedy for our community' but declined to comment further.
Footage aired by Nashville’s WTVF-TV showed vehicles mangled and debris scattered across the factory grounds, with the station reportedly receiving dozens of calls from residents across the region who felt the explosion and saw smoke rising in the distance.
State Representative Jody Barrett, who lives about 15 miles away in Dickson, also shared how he felt his home shake.
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"We absolutely heard it at the house," he told reporters. "It sounded like something going through the roof of our house."
Meanwhile, Gentry Stover told Associated Press that he thought the house had 'collapsed with me inside of it', adding: "I live very close to Accurate and I realized about 30 seconds after I woke up that it had to have been that."
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) confirmed there were injuries but has not yet released figures, as officials remain on-site, working with the Department of Health to confirm casualties and determine what caused the deadly blast.
According to CNN, the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office has advised people to stay away from the area, with police issuing roadblocks nearby.
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UNILAD has contacted Accurate Energetic Systems for comment.
Joe Yates