McEWEN, Tenn. (AP) — A blast leveled an explosives plant Friday in rural Tennessee, leaving behind a mass of twisted metal, burned-out shells of cars and at least 19 people missing and feared dead, authorities said.

“There’s nothing to describe. It’s gone,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said of the blast site at Accurate Energetic Systems, which supplies and researches explosives for the military. He said it was one of the worst scenes he’s ever seen and especially gut wrenching because he knows three families connected to the tragedy. Davis said multiple people were killed but declined to say how many, referring to the 19 missing as “souls” because officials were still speaking to family.

The blast occurred at about 7:45 a.m., Davis said. Aerial footage showed the company's hillt

See Full Page