McEWEN, Tenn. — A massive explosion Friday morning leveled a military explosives plant in rural Tennessee, leaving 19 people missing and feared dead, in what officials are calling one of the worst disasters the region has ever seen.
The blast occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems, a company that manufactures munitions for the U.S. military, at approximately 7:45 a.m. Sheriff Chris Davis of Humphreys County described the aftermath as catastrophic. “There’s nothing to describe. It’s gone,” he said of the destroyed building, referring to the 19 missing workers as “souls” while officials continued notifying families.
Aerial footage from WTVF-TV showed the smoldering remains of the hilltop facility, burnt-out vehicles, and widespread debris. Residents as far as Lobelville, nearly 20 minutes away, reported feeling their homes shake and hearing the boom. “I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,” said Gentry Stover, who lives nearby.
Emergency crews were initially unable to enter the site because of secondary detonations, said Hickman County EMT David Stewart. By Friday afternoon, authorities confirmed the situation was under control with no further risk of explosions. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blast.
The company’s sprawling eight-building facility is located in the Bucksnort area, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. Accurate Energetic Systems has multiple U.S. Army and Navy contracts for manufacturing explosives, including C4, bulk munitions, landmines, and other military-grade materials.
State Rep. Jody Barrett, who lives roughly 15 miles from the site, said the explosion was so powerful it “sounded like something going through the roof of our house,” and expressed concern about the economic impact on the community, as the plant is a major local employer.
The U.S. has a long history of deadly workplace explosions, with disasters like the Monongah coal mine explosion of 1907 and industrial accidents in the 1960s that led to the creation of OSHA. In 2019, Accurate Energetic Systems was fined by the U.S. Department of Labor for safety violations related to hazardous chemical and radiation exposure.
The company has not yet responded to requests for comment. Investigations by federal and state agencies are ongoing.