Officials in the southern U.S. state have described the explosion as ‘catastrophic,’ with many of the missing individuals presumed deceased.
Published On 11 Oct 2025
A powerful explosion rocked a military explosives manufacturing site in Tennessee, leaving 19 individuals unaccounted for and feared dead, according to local authorities.
The incident took place on Friday at Accurate Energetic Systems, located in a rural part of Tennessee, a state in the southern region of the United States. Witnesses reported hearing the blast and feeling its tremors from several miles away.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis described the scene as one of the most harrowing he has encountered. While he did not confirm the number of fatalities, he referred to the 19 missing individuals as “souls” and noted that officials were still in communication with their families.
According to the company’s website, Accurate Energetic Systems operates an eight-building complex nestled among forested hills in the Bucksnort area, approximately 97 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Nashville.
The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown, with Sheriff Davis emphasizing that the investigation may require several days to reach conclusions.
Drone footage broadcast by local station WTVF-TV revealed that the blast had completely destroyed one of the facility’s hilltop structures, leaving behind only charred debris and the scorched remains of vehicles.
Grey Collier, spokesperson for the Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that the risk of further detonations had passed and that emergency personnel had secured the site by Friday afternoon.
Initially, rescue teams were unable to access the plant due to ongoing smaller explosions, as reported by David Stewart, an advanced EMT from Hickman County. He was unable to provide details on casualties at the time.
Accurate Energetic Systems, headquartered in nearby McEwen, had not responded to requests for comment as of Friday morning.
McEwen Mayor Brad Rachford expressed sorrow over the incident, calling it “a tragedy for our community” and directing further inquiries to county officials.
Residents of Lobelville, located about a 20-minute drive from the blast site, reported feeling their homes shake, with some capturing the loud explosion on home security cameras.
Gentry Stover, a local resident, recounted being jolted awake by the blast.
“I thought the roof was collapsing on me,” he said during a phone interview. “I live very close to Accurate, and it became clear within seconds that the explosion came from there.”
State Representative Jody Barrett, a Republican from nearby Dickson, voiced concerns about the economic repercussions, noting the plant’s importance as a major employer in the region.
“We live roughly 24 kilometers away, and the explosion was loud enough to be heard inside our home,” Barrett said. “It sounded like something crashing through the ceiling.”
