ATF sends ‘elite team’ to Tennessee to investigate manufacturing plant explosion

Tennessee authorities introduced Saturday that no survivors had been recovered from a large explosion at a rural manufacturing facility a day earlier, after greater than 300 investigators combed the blast website.

The explosion occurred at Correct Energetic Techniques close to Bucksnort, about 50 miles west of Nashville, simply earlier than 8 a.m. native time Friday.

Since then, greater than 300 individuals have performed a “very delicate, very methodical” search of the scene, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis stated at a information convention Saturday.

“I can inform you that over 300 individuals have visited nearly each sq. inch of this facility, and presently we’ve got discovered no survivors,” stated Davis, who at instances turned emotional.

FACTORY FACILITIES EXPLOSION IN TENNESSEE LEAVES SEVERAL PEOPLE DEAD, 18 MISSING

Particles covers the bottom and automobiles after a strong explosion ripped by way of a army explosives manufacturing facility in Hickman County, Tennessee, on Friday, October 10, 2025. (WTVF-TV through AP)

“We discover it much more devastating than we initially thought,” he added, saying he had spoken to the households of these misplaced. ‘Actually devastated. It is an enormous loss. An amazing loss.’

Officers had initially stated Friday that a number of deaths had been reported, with out specifying the quantity, and that a minimum of 18 individuals had been lacking.

At Saturday’s press convention, Davis additionally stated the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) was on scene with “speedy DNA” testing to determine the victims’ stays.

“We’re coping with explosions. And I might say proper now we’re coping with stays,” Davis added.

“Can I say we will rule out foul play? We won’t reply that. It might be days, weeks or months earlier than we are able to do this,” Davis additionally stated.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) introduced on Saturday that it had deployed an “elite workforce” on Saturday to assist examine the explosion website.

The explosion occurred at Correct Energetic Techniques in Hickman County. (WTVF)

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“The ATF Nationwide Response Staff is an elite workforce of extremely skilled investigative specialists, with state-of-the-art gear, specializing in explosives, hearth and bombing investigations,” the company stated in an announcement. “The workforce, which might be deployed wherever in the US inside 24 hours of notification, consists of particular brokers, licensed explosives specialists, bomb technicians, explosives enforcement officers, hearth safety engineers, licensed hearth investigators, chemists and different specialists.”

“Staff members, deployed from throughout the nation, are anticipated to reach on scene at this time,” the ATF added, noting that the workforce beforehand investigated “national-level incidents such because the September 11 terrorist assault on the Pentagon; the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta; the Oklahoma Metropolis bombing and the bombing of the World Commerce Heart in 1993.”

“The workforce’s major accountability will likely be to guide the investigation into the origin and reason behind the explosion, together with analyzing, processing and documenting the scene,” the ATF stated.

“So proper now, all of our bomb technicians, our explosives specialists are on the market working very totally, methodically making an attempt to make the realm secure in order that when our Nationwide Response Staff arrives this afternoon, that space might be as secure as doable for each regulation enforcement officer up there,” Man McCormick, a Supervisory Particular Agent with ATF’s Nashville Subject Division, stated Saturday.

Members of the family collect at Correct Energetic Techniques in Bucksnort, Tennessee, on Saturday, October 11, 2025, as 18 individuals stay lacking following an explosion on the website. (Obed Lamy/AP)

Jeremy Moore was identified by WZTV as a longtime worker on the facility who’s now lacking.

“I discovered it was the constructing, Constructing 602, the place he labored and he was on the lacking checklist,” his mom, Ava Hinson, instructed the station. “The final I heard from him, he was dropping his daughter off at my home and heading to work.”

“It is unbelievable, not understanding. I nearly do not need to hear dangerous information, however I might nearly really feel higher if I knew,” she added, in keeping with WZTV.

Correct Energetic Techniques launched an announcement in regards to the explosion on its web site.

“A tragic accident occurred at our facility this morning at roughly 7:45 a.m.,” Correct Energetic Techniques wrote. “Emergency response groups and investigation businesses stay on website and the state of affairs is being actively investigated.”

“Our ideas and prayers are with the households, colleagues and group members affected by this incident,” the assertion stated. “We categorical our gratitude to all first responders who proceed to work tirelessly below troublesome circumstances. We’ll present updates as extra verified data turns into obtainable.”

Fox Information Digital reached out to Correct Energetic Techniques Saturday morning for added data however didn’t instantly hear again.

An indication is proven close to the location of an explosion at a manufacturing facility about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, October 11, 2025. (Adrian Sainz/AP)

In line with The Related Press, indicators had been posted close to the location Saturday asking for prayers for the households.

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Rescuers needed to wait hours earlier than starting their search due to the burning particles area and the danger of secondary explosions on the website southwest of Nashville, authorities stated. The world is now secure and there’s no longer any threat.

Davis stated he anticipated the investigation to take a minimum of days earlier than authorities know what may have brought on the explosion that occurred simply earlier than 8 a.m. Friday. He warned there could be no “short-term clarification”.

Legislation enforcement officers guard a gate exterior the Correct Energetic Techniques plant following an explosion on the plant close to Bucksnort, Tennessee. (WKRN/Reuters)

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Davis stated Friday’s explosion resulted in a lot of fatalities, which he didn’t specify, and that 18 individuals are nonetheless lacking. He referred to as them ‘souls’.

The plant is positioned on 1,300 acres in Bucksnort, Tennessee, an unincorporated rural group about 60 miles southwest of Nashville. There are eight manufacturing facility buildings that produce, retailer and analysis explosives for patrons exterior the army, together with the aerospace, oil and different industrial demolition industries.

The corporate additionally makes use of the sprawling campus to check explosives, in keeping with its web site, measuring the velocity of explosions in addition to their impression on surrounding areas below various environmental circumstances.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Division bomb squad automobiles arrive at Correct Energetic Techniques on October 10, 2025. (Brett Carlsen/Getty Photos)

“On the top of the response yesterday, greater than 300 responders from 18 native, state and federal businesses had been on website collaborating on the continuing investigation and response,” the Tennessee Emergency Administration Company stated Saturday. “This coordinated effort is geared toward making certain public security, supporting affected households and figuring out the reason for the incident.”

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“We ask Tennesseans to affix us in praying for the households affected by this tragic incident,” Tennessee Governor Invoice Lee wrote on X on Friday.

Fox Information’ Louis Casiano, Bradford Betz and The Related Press contributed to this report.