Number of people dead unknown as secondary blasts initially kept first responders from entering site
A huge explosion at a Tennessee military munitions plant on Friday morning has left multiple people dead or missing, according to a county sheriff, as first responders said secondary blasts initially forced rescuers to keep their distance from the burning site.
The powerful blast ripped through the explosives manufacturing plant in rural Tennessee on Friday morning, rattling homes miles away and bringing the emergency services dashing to the scene, authorities and residents said.
The incident happened at Accurate Energetic Systems near the town of Bucksnort, about 60 miles south-west of Nashville, the Hickman county sheriff’s office said. The agency asked people in a social media post to avoid the area to allow responders to do their work.
Further blasts were initially keeping rescuers at some distance, Hickman county advanced EMT David Stewart told the Associated Press by telephone.
