Tennessee authorities identify 16 people killed in blast at explosive plant | US news
Authorities on Monday identified the 16 people killed in a devastating explosion at an explosives factory in rural Tennessee on Oct. 10; Investigators have promised a grueling process of figuring out what happened, tracking pieces of evidence that may be miles apart.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference that people in the close-knit community probably knew at least relatives of the victims killed in the explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility. The company supplies and researches explosives for the military and is a well-known employer in the region.
“This is a small county, rural America, where everyone knows each other and everyone will take care of each other,” Davis said.
Even as people turned to worship on Sunday to ease their pain, one congregation was mourning the loss of its pastor in the explosion.
Trent Stewart was pastor of the Log church in Waverly; Sunday school and worship here were canceled this weekend and replaced with prayer time in the sanctuary, the institution’s associate pastor, Charlie Musick, posted on social media.
Stewart’s fiancée, Katy Stover, said on social media that the church hosted a “full house” on Sunday.
“I know this will definitely excite Trent,” she wrote. “We thank everyone who came and hope everyone will join us again next Sunday. Seeing how many people showed up to honor Trent and the other families brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes.”
She wrote in an earlier post that Stewart made her “laugh until I couldn’t breathe, and he was truly my best friend, my soulmate, and my person.”
Another victim, Reyna Gillahan, had dreamed of paying off her home and keeping it family-owned, so her daughter Rosalina Gillahan began fundraising after the explosion. It was one of the fundraisers organized for families who lost their loved ones.
“She had such a beautiful soul; she was loving, strong, and always thought of others before herself,” Rosalina Gillahan said of her mother on social media.
The sheriffs of Humphreys and Hickman counties read the names of the victims at Monday’s news conference. The others were: Jason Adams; Billy Baker; Christopher Clark; James Cook; LaTeisha Mays; Melinda Rainey; Steven Wright; Erik Anderson; Adam Boatman; Mindy Clifton; Jeremy Moore; Melissa Stafford; Rachel Woodall; and Donald Yowell.
The initial explosion was felt for more than 20 miles and left twisted and charred metal smoldering at the factory and burnt vehicles. Officials said there were no survivors.
Authorities said they were working to clear the area of hazards, including explosives, and identify debris.
Once the area is cleared, authorities can begin investigating what caused the explosion, said Matthew Belew, acting special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Some of the relevant evidence spanned miles, Belew said.
“It’s almost like putting a puzzle back together,” Belew said. “We worked closely with AES to learn how to look at pictures, plans, and anything identifying about the building. Then we slowly start systematically putting some of that stuff together.”
Accurate Energetic Systems’ 1,300-acre (526 ha) complex in a heavily forested area of middle Tennessee consists of eight distinct custom manufacturing buildings and a laboratory. It straddles the Hickman and Humphreys county line in unincorporated Bucksnort, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. It employs 115 people, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
An entry-level job at Accurate Energetic Systems pays between $19 and $21 an hour, depending on which shift the employee works, according to a job posting the company posted last month. The jobs require only a high school diploma and some mechanical aptitude, making them better paying than jobs with similar educational requirements.
