Eighteen Presumed Dead in Tennessee Explosives Factory Blast
Eighteen people are now presumed dead following a massive explosion at an explosives manufacturing plant in Tennessee, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis stated at a news conference that the individuals, missing since Friday’s explosion in Bucksnort, are not expected to be found alive. “We can assume that they are deceased at this time,” Davis said.
Factory Details and Explosion Impact
The blast occurred at a facility owned by Accurate Energetic Systems, a company that produces explosives for military and demolition use. The explosion was so powerful it destroyed an entire building on the large plant campus, shook homes from miles away, and sent debris flying across the area.
Investigation and Recovery Efforts
Sheriff Davis confirmed that DNA testing will be necessary to identify the remains of the victims, a process that will proceed slowly due to the condition of the scene. “But we’re going to have to slow walk that because of the scene, the way that the scene is,” he explained.
While the company has described the incident as “a tragic accident,” authorities have not ruled out foul play. “Can I say we’re going to rule out foul play? We can’t answer that. That might be days or weeks or months before we can do that,” Davis stated.
Multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, have dispatched personnel to the blast site to assist with the ongoing investigation.
