Tennessee Explosives Plant Blast Kills 16 as Cause Remains Under Investigation

Overview

• Authorities confirmed 16 fatalities after determining that two people initially believed missing were not at the site.
• The explosion around 7:45 a.m. destroyed a building at Accurate Energetic Systems near Bucksnort and spread debris across roughly 800 square meters.
• ATF official Brice McCracken said investigators are not closer to identifying the origin or cause of the blast.
• Officials reported smaller secondary detonations early in the response, then secured the area to enable recovery and identification work.
• Accurate Energetic Systems called the incident a tragic accident and said it is cooperating, noting its role supplying explosives for military and demolition uses.