At least 16 killed in blast at Tennessee explosives plant
A huge blast at a military explosives facility in Tennessee in the United States has killed at least 16 people, authorities said, lowering the toll after locating two people who were previously missing and presumed dead, Al Jazeera reported.
Humphreys County Sheriff Davis announced the toll on Saturday, a day after the explosion at the headquarters of Accurate Energetic Systems in Bucksnort.
The blast, which was felt for kilometres, destroyed an entire building at the plant’s large campus, according to local media.
Officials had previously said that 18 people were unaccounted for in Friday’s explosion, but Davis told reporters that two people whose vehicles and personal items were found at the scene were not actually there when the blast erupted.
Officials have notified the families of all 16 people killed, the sheriff said.
Earlier on Saturday, Davis confirmed that the operation had shifted from rescue to recovery and that investigators would use DNA testing to confirm the identities of those who died.
Investigators, including agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were still working to determine the cause of the explosion, officials said.
The presence of explosives and other ordnance at the property has made searching the scene complicated.
Davis said it could be days, weeks or even months before foul play can be ruled out.
In a statement, Accurate Energetic Systems called the blast “a tragic accident”.
It also thanked first responders, but did not indicate a possible cause for the explosion.
Accurate Energetic Systems develops, manufactures and stores explosives for “military, aerospace, and commercial demolition markets”, according to the company’s website.
The headquarters includes eight production buildings and a quality lab.