Explosion at US defense plant leaves several dead
US firefighters (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
A powerful explosion occurred at a military plant in Tennessee, leaving several people dead and missing, but rescuers are unable to enter the site due to ongoing detonations, reports CNN.
The incident took place at the Accurate Energetic Systems military plant in the state of Tennessee, US.
The powerful explosion occurred at around 7:45 a.m. local time, literally shaking the ground beneath the feet of residents in nearby towns. The blast was felt even by those living 20 kilometers away from the site.
According to preliminary reports, there are fatalities, and several plant employees are missing. Due to a series of secondary explosions, the area remains extremely dangerous - rescuers are unable to fully begin the search operation.
A column of thick black smoke instantly rose above the vast industrial complex, which spans more than 1,300 acres. Home security cameras in the surrounding area captured the moment of the explosion - the blast was so loud that residents thought a plane had crashed or an earthquake had begun.
“I thought the house had collapsed with me inside of it,” said Gentry Stover, a resident of Lobelville, who was awakened by the shockwave.
At present, rescuers are standing outside the perimeter - the plant continues to explode.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed that there are fatalities, but the exact number of victims has not yet been disclosed. Several workers also remain missing, and their whereabouts are unknown.
Davis emphasized that they could not begin the search inside because the explosions were still ongoing and posed a deadly threat to the rescue teams.
What kind of plant is it
Accurate Energetic Systems is one of the key US enterprises that manufactures and tests explosives for the needs of the military, as well as for the aerospace industry, industrial demolition, and the oil and gas sector.
The facility consists of several separate buildings with enhanced safety levels, although it was not officially classified as hazardous.
However, back in 2014, an explosion already occurred at this site - one employee was killed and three others were injured. The causes of that tragedy remain unclear.
Experts suggest that the initial detonation in the current incident may have started inside one of the production workshops where active explosive components were stored. However, there is still no official version.
The company is not answering journalists’ calls and has not contacted local authorities.
In the German town of Mainaschaff, an accident at an industrial facility likely caused a chemical leak.
The first reports of a gas cloud over the city of Aschaffenburg appeared on the evening of October 7. It was reported that the incident occurred at a zinc plant in the neighboring town of Mainaschaff.
