U.S. Military Explosives Plant Destroyed in Massive Tennessee Blast

U.S. Military Explosives Plant Destroyed in Massive Tennessee Blast

A powerful explosion ripped through a U.S. military explosives factory on October 10, completely destroying the facility. The blast occurred at the Precise Energetic Systems plant near the town of Bucks North, Tennessee — a key site producing explosive compounds for the American defense industry.

Authorities confirmed that 18 people remain missing, with an unspecified number of fatalities. Earlier in the day, officials had reported 19 missing, but one individual was later found safe at home. Search and recovery operations are ongoing, as rescuers continue to battle secondary explosions at the site.

The plant, also known as Accurate Energetic Systems, had recently secured a $120 million Pentagon contract to produce explosives for 155 mm artillery shells — the same ammunition heavily supplied to Ukraine. The explosion occurred just weeks after that deal was announced, on September 23.

The Tennessee facility, now completely destroyed, was one of the main U.S. producers of key explosive components for NATO munitions.