19 unaccounted for, casualties reported after explosion at Tennessee manufacturing plant

HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Casualties have been reported following an explosion Friday morning at a military explosives manufacturing plant in Tennessee, officials said.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said Friday afternoon that "19 souls" were still unaccounted for at the plant, operated by Accurate Energetic Systems. He later used the word "missing" to describe the employees.

"This is probably one of the most devastating sites … devastating situations that I've been on, in my career," Davis told reporters.

He also confirmed there had been fatalities, but would not specify a number.

The explosion took place around 7:45 a.m. at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant on the Hickman/Humphreys county line. According to the company's website, Accurate Energetic Systems makes and tests explosives at the eight-building facility, which sprawls across wooded hills near Bucksnort, a town about 60 miles southwest of Nashville.

The blast reportedly encompassed an entire building that was on the facility grounds.

When asked to describe the condition of the building where the explosion took place, Davis said there was "nothing to describe. It's gone." The scene has since been secured, he said.

Davis said the families of those involved remain a main priority to law enforcement.

“Right now, we’re prioritizing people that are involved, their families and trying to be very compassionate toward them,” Davis said.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said the Tennessee Department of Health had not yet reported or confirmed any fatalities or injuries as of Friday afternoon. TEMA said they’re supporting officials in Hickman and Humphreys Counties and "stands ready to assist the impacted families" at a Family Assistance Center organized by Accurate Energetic Systems.

A source with TriStar Horizon Medical Center in Dickson, Tennessee, told Nexstar's WKRN that three survivors from this morning’s explosion were treated at the facility.

Authorities with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating along with local authorities.

"Do I see a short-term explanation? No. Do I see us being here for many days? Yes, I do see that," Davis said.

Chris Cannon, the chief communications director for the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development, said Tennessee's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) had also sent an investigator to the site.

"To preserve the integrity of the investigation, TOSHA does not release preliminary information or provide comment while the process is underway," Cannon said.

Public records show that Accurate Energetic Systems sold numerous types of weapons to the U.S. military and has been awarded numerous military contracts to manufacture a variety of munitions and explosives. The contracts, which were awarded largely by the Army and Navy, were for a variety of products that ranged from bulk explosives to landmines and small breaching charges used to get through doors.

The company also uses the sprawling campus to test explosives, according to it’s website, measuring the velocity of explosions as well as their impact on surrounding areas under varying environmental conditions. The website says that facilities can safely accommodate explosives with up to 35 pounds of “net explosive weight,” and conducts daily tests.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.