(Washington) A large explosion killed several people Friday at an explosives factory in Tennessee, according to a local official.
A “destructive explosion” occurred around 7:45 a.m. Friday (8:45 a.m. Eastern Time) at the Accurate Energetic Systems factory and blew out an entire building, causing “several deaths,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said.
“Several people are missing,” he added, specifying that other “small explosions” were still possible, but that the area was now secure.
This plant is located near Bucksnort in a wooded, hilly area away from urban areas, approximately 100 km west of Nashville, on the border of Humphreys and Hickman counties.
The Hickman County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that an explosion had taken place at the factory, that emergency services were on site and that residents should avoid the area.
PHOTO ASSOCIATED PRESS
The plant is located away from urban areas, approximately 100 km west of Nashville.
Television images broadcast on Friday notably show a totally devastated building, burning, and vehicles destroyed by the blast.
Contacted by AFP, the mayor’s office could not immediately provide a casualty report or explain the cause of the explosion.
Accurate Energetic Systems did not immediately respond to requests from AFP.
On its website, this company founded in 1980 says it “specializes in the development, manufacturing, handling and storage of a wide range of energy products and explosives for the military, aerospace and commercial demolition markets”.
