A powerful explosion tore through the Accurate Energetic Systems plant early Friday morning, leaving a scene of devastation in rural Hickman County, Tennessee. Authorities say multiple people have been killed, and 19 others who were inside the building at the time remain unaccounted for and are feared dead.
The blast occurred around 7:50 a.m. at the facility, which produces military-grade explosives as well as materials for the space, demolition, and oil industries. The explosion was so intense that it destroyed an entire building on the property, sending a massive plume of smoke high into the air and shaking homes miles away.
Residents in the nearby town of Hohenwald reported hearing a “thunderous boom” and feeling their windows rattle. Doorbell camera footage circulating online captured the sound of the explosion from as far as ten miles away.
Hickman County Emergency Management officials described the aftermath as “catastrophic.” Aerial images shared on social media and by local news outlets show a wide debris field, smoldering wreckage, and several small fires still burning hours after the explosion.
“We have multiple fatalities,” a county spokesperson said at a press conference Friday afternoon. “Nineteen individuals are currently unaccounted for, and we are doing everything possible to locate them. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected.”
First responders initially held back from entering parts of the site due to fears of secondary explosions, given the nature of the plant’s operations. By late morning, authorities confirmed that there was no longer an immediate risk of further blasts, but they urged the public to stay away from the area to allow emergency and investigative teams to work safely.
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) are leading the inquiry into the cause of the explosion. Representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are also expected to join the investigation.
Officials said they expect to remain on scene for several days as they sift through the wreckage and collect evidence to determine what triggered the deadly blast.
The Accurate Energetic Systems plant, located about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, has operated in the area for decades and supplies energetic materials to both military and commercial clients.
As of Friday evening, authorities had not released the names of the victims or those still missing, pending notification of families. A temporary family assistance center has been set up nearby to support relatives awaiting news of their loved ones.
“This is a heartbreaking day for our community,” said Hickman County Sheriff Randal Ward. “We are a small county, and nearly everyone knows someone connected to that plant. We will get through this together.”
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