Blast at Tennessee explosives plant leaves multiple dead, 13 missing

Multiple people are dead and several others are unaccounted for after a blast on Friday morning in Tennessee at a military explosives company, according to law enforcement.

The explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems in McEwen, about 50 miles (80 km) west of Nashville, occurred at 7:45 a.m. local time (1245 GMT), Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told a press conference.

"We do have several people at this time that's unaccounted for," he said. "We do have some that are deceased."

The Telegraph reports that flames caused by the initial explosion led to secondary blasts at the facility, leading to a delayi n the emergency response at the site.

Accurate Energetic Systems, owners of the factories develops, manufactures and stores explosives for "military, aerospace, and commercial demolition markets," according to the company's website.

The 1,300-acre headquarters in Bucksnort, Tennessee, includes eight production buildings and a quality lab.

Footage of the aftermath of the blast seen by Anewz showed pockets of flames still raging, debris strewn about the area and damaged vehicles in the parking lot.

The aerial footage possibly taken from a helicopter or a drone showed a major building covered in thick black smoke while a large expanse around it was also still smoking.

Another video taken in a home about 11 miles away from the factory showed shaking as an explosion is heard in the background.

The company is yet to release a statement on the incident.

This is a developing story.

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