What to know about the blast at a Tennessee explosives plant that claimed lives
On Friday, first responders searched under the rubble for missing people. powerful explosion It tore through an explosives manufacturing plant in rural Tennessee, sending clouds of smoke into the air and shaking homes for miles.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said 19 people were still missing and feared dead as of Friday afternoon.
“This was probably one of the most devastating situations I’ve ever faced in my career,” Davis said through tears.
Here’s what you need to know as authorities try to determine what caused the explosion.
The search continues
Rescuers had to wait hours to begin their search in the area southwest of Nashville because of the burning debris field and the risks of secondary explosions, officials said. The area is now safe and there is no risk anymore.
Spokesperson Kristin Coulter said by phone that there were deaths and injuries related to the explosion, but the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency did not share any numbers because the Department of Health did not confirm them.
It is not yet known how many people were in the building at the time.
power of explosion Correct Energy Systems It was also felt by residents of Lobelville, a 20-minute drive away.
“I thought the house collapsed with me in it,” Gentry Stover told The Associated Press by phone. “I live very close to Accurate and about 30 seconds after waking up I realized it had to be this way.”
Davis said he expected the investigation to take days to reconstruct what might have caused the explosion just before 8 a.m. He warned that it would not be a “short-term statement.”
Contracts with the military
Public records show that the company sold numerous weapons to the U.S. military and received military contracts for the production of various ammunition and explosives.
The contracts, awarded largely by the Army and Navy, were for products ranging from large explosives and land mines to small explosives used to breach gates.
Big operation for research
The manufacturing facility is located on 1,300 acres in Bucksnort, Tennessee, an unincorporated rural community approximately 60 miles southwest of Nashville. There are eight facility buildings that produce, store and research explosives for customers beyond the military, including the aviation, oil and other commercial demolition industries.
The company also uses the sprawling campus to test explosives, measuring the speed of explosions and their effects on surrounding areas under changing environmental conditions, according to its website.
The company’s website says it “rigorously adheres to the stringent security standards” of the Department of Defense’s safety and security protocols.
