Explosion at explosives manufacturing facility in the US
It has been announced that 19 people are unaccounted for following an explosion and subsequent fire at a military explosives manufacturing facility in the US state of Tennessee.
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A massive explosion occurred at a military explosives manufacturing facility owned by Accurate Energetic Systems (AEC) in the US state of Tennessee. Officials stated that the facility where the horrific incident took place is located approximately 80 kilometers from Nashville, the capital of Tennessee. The statement reported that the initial explosion at the facility was followed by smaller blasts and a fire. Authorities noted that emergency response teams arriving at the scene faced difficulties in intervening and assessing the situation due to the risk of ongoing explosions.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis stated, "The explosion that occurred around 07:45 local time was truly violent. We are currently unable to account for 19 people who are dead or missing. We have confirmed that some individuals have lost their lives."
Avoiding giving a definitive number regarding the loss of life while stating that it is possible some employees may have survived the explosion, Davis said, "This is the most horrific event I have witnessed in my professional career. Right now, I am praying for the best. There may still be injured people somewhere that we have not been able to reach." The sheriff also noted that the explosion was felt in residential areas located approximately 40 kilometers away.
Another official reported that 3 people who were slightly injured in the incident were transported to the hospital. The statement indicated that 2 people have been discharged and 1 person is still receiving treatment.
"APPROXIMATELY 80 PEOPLE WERE WORKING AT THE FACILITY"
Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates stated that the facility employed approximately 80 people, but it is unknown how many were inside the building at the time of the incident. Bates also noted that one building was completely destroyed in the incident, saying, "It is very sad to see this. Investigations will likely continue for days. In addition to military explosives, this facility also produced explosives used in road construction."
The US Department of Defense had signed a 120 million dollar agreement with AEC. It is known that the US Department of Defense signed a "TNT supply" agreement worth approximately 120 million dollars with the AEC company last month.