Deadly explosion at Tennessee military explosives plant leaves multiple dead, dozens missing

A massive explosion rocked the Accurate Energetic Systems facility near Bucksnort, Tennessee, Friday morning. At least several people died and many remain unaccounted for, as authorities scramble to secure the site and begin an investigation.

Blast at a Tennessee explosives plant leaves 19 people missing and feared dead. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said that while officials have confirmed fatalities, the exact number is still unknown. “We do have several people... unaccounted for,” he told reporters.

The blast ripped through one of the buildings on the 1,300-acre campus, sending debris and burning wreckage across the site. Surveillance footage and aerial imagery show charred vehicles and heavily damaged infrastructure. 

Accurate Energetic Systems produces, stores, and tests explosives for military, aerospace, and commercial demolition use. Its facility includes eight production buildings and labs across forested hills in the Bucksnort area. 

Though the 2025 explosion is devastating, it is not the first such event at the plant. In April 2014, a smaller blast killed one person and injured several others. Local officials had said previously that the plant did not have a serious history of safety violations. 

At a press briefing, Sheriff Davis said the investigation would be extensive and would take time. He warned that this was not a simple clean-up operation. 

The cause of the explosion remains unknown, and officials say it may take days or longer to determine what triggered the blast. 

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