Multiple people are dead or missing after an explosion at a military explosives plant in Tennessee today, authorities said, adding that secondary explosions forced rescuers to stay away from burning debris, the Associated Press reported.
Locals said they heard and felt the explosion miles from the Accurate Energy Systems plant. The company said on its website that it manufactures and tests explosives at an eight-building facility in the wooded hills near the town of Bucksnorth, about 60 miles from Nashville.
„Several people are currently unaccounted for. "We're trying to be considerate of the families in this situation," Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference. "We have fatalities," he added.
The cause of the explosion is not yet clear, and Davis said the investigation could take several days.
Aerial footage showed the explosion destroying one of the buildings at the site, leaving only smoldering debris and burned-out vehicles.