WASHINGTON: Eighteen people are missing and presumed dead following a massive explosion at an explosives factory in Tennessee.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis confirmed the grim assumption during a Saturday news conference regarding those unaccounted for since Friday’s blast in Bucksnort.
The factory is owned by Accurate Energetic Systems, a company that manufactures explosives for military and demolition use.
The powerful explosion completely destroyed one building on the large plant campus, shook homes miles away, and scattered debris over a wide area.
Sheriff Davis stated that DNA testing will be necessary to identify the recovered remains.
He cautioned that the identification process would proceed slowly due to the challenging condition of the blast site.
The company described the incident as “a tragic accident” in an official statement.
Davis noted that investigators cannot yet rule out foul play as a potential cause.
He indicated that determining the cause could take days, weeks, or even months to complete.
Federal agency staff, including personnel from the FBI, have been dispatched to assist with the ongoing investigation. – AFP