🇺🇸 Eighteen people are dead after a massive blast obliterated a building at a Tennessee military explosives facility on Friday, authorities said — a “mass detonation” so significant that it rattled homes miles away.
The early-morning explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, which manufactures military and demolition explosives, left charred debris and mangled vehicles across a vast area. The blast was felt as far as 15 miles away and scattered debris over half a square mile.
The blast, which was felt for kilometres, destroyed an entire building at the plant’s large campus, according to local media.
Officials had previously said that 18 people were unaccounted for in Friday’s explosion, but Davis told reporters that two people whose vehicles and personal items were found at the scene were not actually there when the blast erupted.
Officials have notified the families of all 16 people killed, the sheriff said.
“We’ll call them victims, our loved ones,” a tearful Davis said.
Earlier on Saturday, Davis confirmed that the operation had shifted from rescue to recovery and that investigators would use DNA testing to confirm the identities of those who died.
Investigators, including agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were still working to determine the cause of the explosion, officials said.
The presence of explosives and other ordnance at the property has made searching the scene complicated.
Davis said it could be days, weeks or even months before foul play can be ruled out.
In a statement, Accurate Energetic Systems called the blast “a tragic accident”.
It also thanked first responders, but did not indicate a possible cause for the explosion.
Accurate Energetic Systems develops, manufactures and stores explosives for “military, aerospace, and commercial demolition markets”, according to the company’s website.
The headquarters includes eight production buildings and a quality lab.
