**Authorities Confirm Devastating Explosion at Tennessee Military Explosives Factory**
Authorities confirmed on Saturday that a devastating explosion in a rural area of Tennessee the day before had leveled a military explosives factory, with tremors felt several miles away and no survivors found at the scene.
Sheriff Chris Davis of Humphreys County expressed deep sorrow during a press conference, stating that officials were operating under the assumption that all personnel at the scene had perished. Earlier reports had indicated approximately 19 individuals were missing.
“We have not found any survivors,” Davis said. He described the scene as something he had never witnessed before, noting that the aftermath was not akin to dealing with a typical accident or tornado aftermath, but rather the “debris” left behind by an explosion.
On Friday morning, an explosion occurred at the Accurate Energetic Systems company, located about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. The company primarily supplies and researches explosives for the U.S. military, including landmines and C4 explosives.
Debris from the explosion spread across an area of at least half a mile, with residents living 15 miles away feeling intense vibrations. According to reports by the Associated Press, residents in the town of Lobelville, a 20-minute drive away, stated that they felt their homes shaking and some household surveillance devices captured the sound of a massive explosion.
Aerial footage showed only a pile of twisted metal and charred car wreckage remaining at the company’s facility.
Due to concerns of a secondary explosion, rescue personnel faced challenges entering the site, causing delays in search and casualty assessments.
The explosion took place at the Accurate Energetic Systems facility in Bucksnort, spanning 1,300 acres of land. The facility consisted of eight buildings used for manufacturing and testing explosives. It remains unclear how many employees worked at the factory or how many were present at the time of the explosion.
Sheriff Davis became emotional while speaking, describing the community as engulfed in “immense grief,” with many praying for the missing coworkers and neighbors.
Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has expressed concern and called for prayers from the state’s residents for the families affected by the incident.