16 people died in a blast at a Tennessee explosives factory early Friday, sheriff says : NPR

McEwan, Tennessee. An explosion in rural Tennessee that leveled an explosives factory and was felt for miles around killed 16 people and left no survivors, authorities said.

The explosion left the Precision Energy Systems plant, which supplies and researches explosives for the military, with a smoldering wreckage of twisted and charred metal and burnt-out vehicles.

The cause of the explosion is unknown. Investigators are combing burned property for possible evidence.

“There's a range of emotions here,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said during a news conference, pausing to clear his throat before shakily asking for prayers for the victims' families.

“We found no survivors,” he added.

During the vigil at Hurricane Chapel in McEwen, Senior Pastor Tim Farris noted that many of those in attendance knew each other, the victims and their families.

“A lot of people are suffering. A lot of people cry a lot of tears,” he said. “We are sad that our community is going through this, but this is a great opportunity for the church today to minister to many of these people.”

Farris said he spoke with some of the victims' families Friday, who were in shock and numbness and showed little emotion. According to him, the situation changed by Saturday.

“Talking to some of the families today, they were very emotional,” Farris said. “They can hardly talk or anything, they are so emotional. I think it will affect more people as this continues. The depth of it, the reality of it. That’s when they will need people the most.”

Pamela Jane Brown was among those who came out to pray for friends missing in the explosion and their families. She said a family acquaintance was driving past the station when it exploded and he was “very badly injured… covered in cuts and bruises” but was now recovering at home.

“I was heartbroken,” she said after learning about the explosion on social media. Meeting with others to pray “was a community coming together—a good feeling.”

State officials brought in a “fast DNA” team to help identify human remains found at the scene.

Davis said about 300 rescuers were working “slowly, methodically” to deal with explosive materials that had been damaged and remained volatile. An ambulance and a helicopter were brought in to ensure the safety of emergency services and were used for the air evacuation.

“It doesn't look like an accident. This is not for tornado work. We're dealing with explosions. And I would say that we are currently dealing with remains,” he said.

Guy McCormick, supervisory special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said bomb technicians and explosives experts are trying to make the area safe for ATF national investigators. He said the nature of the scene could change due to the heat and pressure caused by the explosion.

Davis said it could be days, weeks or even months before foul play is ruled out.

The site is located in the densely wooded region of Middle Tennessee, between the economically important Tennessee River to the west and the bustling metropolitan area of ​​Nashville to the east. Modest houses dot the wooded landscape, residences owned by “good old country folk,” as local resident Terry Bagsby puts it.

“A lot of grief”

Bagsby, 68, is retired but helps work the register at a gas station near the construction site. He said people in the close-knit community are “very, very sad.”

He said he knew people who worked at this site.

“I don’t know how to explain it… There’s just a lot of grief.”

Officials at an evening news conference said psychologists would be available Monday for grieving students.

Earlier Saturday afternoon, about 30 people gathered at a church in McEwen to pray for the bombing victims and their families. Music played and mourners bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Some knelt before the altar, placing their hands on each other's backs and shoulders. Some wept quietly amid whispered prayers.

After the vigil, Pastor Farris told the media that the area has seen its share of tragedies and loss of life, including a deadly flood several years ago. He asked for prayers for first responders.

“It's physically exhausting. Such things put moral pressure. They take it home. They also need prayer and support,” he said.

The company's website says it processes explosives and ammunition at an eight-building facility nestled in the wooded hills of the Bucksnorth area, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville. It is not yet known how many people worked at the plant or how many were there when the explosion occurred.

Accurate Energetic Systems, based in nearby McEwan, said on social media Friday that the company's “thoughts and prayers go out to the affected families and community.”

“We extend our gratitude to all first responders who continue to work tirelessly in difficult conditions,” the statement said.

The explosion deprived residents of sleep

According to public records, the company has received numerous military contracts, primarily with the U.S. Army and Navy, to supply various types of ammunition and explosives. Products range from bulk explosives to landmines and small hacking charges including C4.

When the explosion occurred, residents of Lobelville, a 20-minute drive from the scene, said they felt their homes shake, and some people captured the loud boom of the explosion on their home cameras.

An explosion roused Gentry Stover from his sleep.

“I thought the house had collapsed with me inside,” he told The Associated Press. “I live very close to Accurate and about 30 seconds after I woke up I realized that this was it.”

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee posted on social media platform X that he was monitoring the situation and asked “Tennessee residents to join us in praying for the families affected by this tragic incident.”

A small group gathered for a vigil Friday evening in a nearby park, clutching candles, praying for the missing and their families and singing “Amazing Grace.”

The United States has a long history of fatal workplace accidents, including the Monongah coal mine explosion that killed 362 men and boys in West Virginia in 1907. Several high-profile industrial accidents in the 1960s helped President Richard Nixon sign legislation the following year creating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Accurate Energetic Systems faced several small fines from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2019 for violating policies designed to protect workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals, radiation and other irritants, according to OSHA.

In 2014, an explosion occurred at another ammunition depot in the same small community, killing one person and injuring at least three others.