No survivors found after Tennessee munitions plant explosion

Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News on Oct 11, 2025

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Search efforts have not uncovered any survivors following an explosion at a Tennessee munitions plant, where more than a dozen people were reported missing in the wake of the blast Friday morning.

“I can tell you that more than 300 people have been through almost every square inch of this facility, and at this time we’ve recovered no survivors,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a press briefing Saturday.

“We can assume they are deceased at this point,” he told reporters, emotion overcoming him as he reflected on “the great loss.”

When asked about the total number of fatalities, Davis declined to speculate, noting that authorities are still “in the process of the identification of the remains.”

Davis also said that the cause of the explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems remains under investigation, and that foul play has not yet been ruled out.

“That might be days or weeks or months before we can do that,” he added.

The explosion occurred at the 1,300-acre facility in McEwen, about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, shortly before 8 a.m. on Friday. Aerial footage showed the blast had obliterated one of the site’s hilltop buildings, leaving smoldering wreckage and burnt-out vehicles in its wake.

In the immediate aftermath, officials said 18 people were unaccounted for, and search operations continued throughout the day and overnight.

Davis said the process has been “very delicate, very methodical,” given the volatility of the materials at the site.

According to its website, Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in creating high-grade explosives for demolition in both defense and commercial markets.

“In a situation like this, what we find is that when these explosives are subject to the event that took place — which is heat, the explosion being thrown, pressure — they can change, and they can become different than how we know them to act,” said Special Agent Guy McCormick with the ATF.

He added there were certified explosives specialists and bomb technicians on the scene to ensure that search operations were as safe as could be.

There is no known threat to the public as a result of the blast, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. However, local lawmakers have worried about the potential economic impact of the destruction as the plant is a prominent employer in the area.