2025 Tennessee manufacturing plant explosion
 | |
| Date | October 10, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | 7:48 a.m. CDT |
| Location | Humphreys County, near Bucksnort, Tennessee, United States |
| Coordinates | 35°55′14″N 87°39′29″W / 35.92056°N 87.65806°W |
| Deaths | 16 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 4–5+ |
On October 10, 2025, an explosion occurred at an Accurate Energetic Systems manufacturing plant in Humphreys County, Tennessee, United States, causing 16 fatalities and at least four injuries. The facility, located near Bucksnort, was used in the manufacture, storage, and research of high explosives for various customers, including the Department of Defense.
Background
[edit]Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) is a company established in 1980 that conducts research on and manufactures explosives, including demolition charges and high explosives.[1] Their customers include aerospace, oil, and commercial demolition companies.[2] The company had contracts with the Department of Defense for the manufacture of explosives.[3][4] For instance, the Department of Defense awarded AES a contract for $120 million for "the procurement of TNT" on September 23, 2025.[5][6] They employed approximately 75 people prior to the explosion.[7]
The facility impacted was located in Hickman County, Tennessee, near the border between that county and Humphreys County, Tennessee.[3] The plant takes up 1,300 acres (530 ha) of land near Bucksnort spring. Across eight buildings of the facility, explosives are manufactured, stored, researched, and tested.[2] The explosives manufactured included C-4 and TNT.[7]
In 2014, an explosion considerably damaged an Accurate Energetic Systems manufacturing plant in McEwen, Humphreys County, killing one and injuring three of about 20 employees in the building.[8] After the 2025 explosion, the mayor of Hickman County reported that the facility had no safety issues of record, noting, however, that there had been an earlier explosion at an AES facility, in 2014.[9] That explosion was not attributed to AES, but rather to a separate company, American Sporting Supplies, which had leased a building on the AES site (according to reporting from a local news affiliate, based on a statement from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development).[10]
Explosion
[edit]On October 10, 2025, at 7:48 a.m. Central Daylight Time, a large explosion destroyed a building at the Accurate Energetic Systems campus.[11] The plume of smoke from the explosion was so large that the WSMV-TV First Alert Weather radar detected it.[12] Helicopter video showed damaged vehicles and charred debris.[13] Doorbell footage up to 20 mi (32 km) from the facility captured the sound of the explosion and the shaking of the camera. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Department of Homeland Security, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)[14][15] were among the agencies that responded to the explosion. Emergency responders were initially unable to reach the site due to continuing explosions.[16] Sixteen people inside the building were killed in the explosion,[17][6] and four or five were injured.[18]
Victims
[edit]The victims of the explosion are Jason Adams, Erick Anderson, Billy Baker, Adam Boatman, Christopher Clark, Mindy Clifton, James Cook, Reyna Gillahan, LaTeisha Mays, Jeremy Moore, Melinda Rainey, Melissa Stanford, Trenton Stewart, Rachel Woodall, Steven Wright and Donald Yowell.[19]
Aftermath
[edit]Following the explosion, Accurate Energetic Systems stopped operations[20] and Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, the local energy provider, was working to restore power.[21] [22]
Investigation
[edit]The sheriff of Humphreys County said during a press briefing on the day of the explosion that they had "a very big investigation" to conduct, noting it could take months to rule out foul play.[15][23]
Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) joined the effort to determine the cause of the explosion.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "About AES". Accurate Energetic Systems. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Riddle, Safiyah (October 10, 2025). "What to know about the blast at a Tennessee explosives plant that claimed lives". Associated Press. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Ellis, Nicquel Terry; Morris, Jason; Alvarado, Caroll; et al. (October 10, 2025). "18 people dead or missing after massive blast at Tennessee military explosive plant, officials say". CNN. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Patton, Alicia (October 10, 2025). "Casualties reported following explosion at Hickman County facility, officials say". WKRN-TV. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ "Contracts For Sept. 23, 2025". U.S. Department of War. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Park, Hanna; Rosales, Isabel; Tamsett, Maxime; Sanchez, Ray (October 12, 2025). "Massive blast that destroyed a Tennessee explosive plant leaves 16 dead, officials say". CNN. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Saad, Nardine (October 10, 2025). "Nineteen missing after explosion at Tennessee munitions factory". BBC News. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ AP Staff (April 17, 2014). "1 Dead after Blast, Fire in Tenn. Ammo, Explosives Plant". CBS News (CBSNews.com). Associated Press (AP) wireservice report. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ Livesay, Brandon; Yeung, Tinshui (October 10, 2025). "Hickman mayor says facility has no safety issues apart from one small explosion in 2014". BBC. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Griffin, Ashley (October 11, 2025). "Second Explosion in a Decade Rocks Hickman County Property". Fox17.com. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ Livesay, Brandon; Yeung, Tinshu (October 10, 2025). "What's the state of the building? 'It's gone'". BBC News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Sauter, David (October 10, 2025). "WSMV 4 First Alert Weather radar captures deadly explosion in Hickman County". WSMV-TV. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Breen, Kerry (October 10, 2025). "Blast rips through military explosives facility in Tennessee, leaving multiple people dead and missing, sheriff says". CBS News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ "Blast at Tennessee munitions plant leaves 19 missing, possibly dead". Reuters. October 10, 2025. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Deliso, Meredith; Katersky, Aaron (October 10, 2025). "Multiple people dead in 'devastating blast' at explosives manufacturer in Tennessee: Sheriff". ABC News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Loller, Travis (October 10, 2025). "Blast at a Tennessee explosives plant leaves multiple people dead and missing, sheriff says". Associated Press. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ "Humphreys County Sheriff says 16 are dead in Hickman County explosion: Live updates". The Tennessean. October 11, 2025. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ Livesay, Brandon; Yeung, Tinshu (September 10, 2025). "Patients being treated for 'minor injuries' at nearby hospitals". BBC News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98n4g3p1x8o
- ^ Livesay, Brandon; Yeung, Tinshu (October 10, 2025). "Accurate Energetics System pauses operation - sheriff". BBC News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ Livesay, Brandon; Yeung, Tinshu (October 10, 2025). "Energy provider working to restore power". BBC News. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
- ^ https://www.wsmv.com/2025/10/12/loss-is-staggering-gov-lee-surveys-damage-site-deadly-blast-tn/
- ^ Loller, Travis (October 11, 2025). "No survivors from blast at Tennessee explosives factory, sheriff says". PBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
- ^ Gyamfi Asiedu, Kwasi; Estrada, Blanca (October 12, 2025). "No survivors found after Tennessee explosives plant blast". BBC News. Retrieved October 13, 2025.