# Explosives factory in Tennessee extremely explodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2025, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853 "2025-10-10T18:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/1 "2025-10-10T18:18:21Z")
As far as I can tell the whole building is completely gone, and the biggest things there are the burning cars in the parking lot. > **[Multiple people dead in 'devastating blast' at explosives manufacturer in...](https://abc7ny.com/post/powerful-blast-tennessee-military-explosives-plant-rattles-homes-miles-away/17978852/)** > > Accurate Energetic Systems manufactures explosives and energetic devices for aerospace, defense, demolition and mining industries, according to its website. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/2 "2025-10-10T18:39:21Z")
It seems their name was accurate; it ~~is~~ was real energetic there. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/3 "2025-10-10T20:58:58Z")
It sounds like a lot of fatalities. I’m guessing their leading theory is it was caused by explosives. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/4 "2025-10-10T21:23:01Z")
Given the level of destruction they’ll probably never figure out who screwed up how. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/5 "2025-10-10T21:26:06Z")
This tragedy was either the result of a horrible safety failure or people who were too successful at their jobs, depending on your point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/6 "2025-10-10T21:56:31Z")
Some details (including that they made RDX). > **[19 missing, deaths confirmed as explosion rocks manufacturing plant in Tennessee](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/10/explosion-tennessee-manufacturing-facility/86624357007/)** > > The Hickman County Sheriff's Office said an explosion occurred at Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area on Friday, Oct. 10. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/7 "2025-10-10T22:23:39Z")
An explosives plant probably ought to have closed-circuit cameras to an offsite data storage, just for situations like this. Whether that was the case here, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/8 "2025-10-11T03:58:35Z")
Seen on Facebook: [![](https://i.imgur.com/MX4dKro.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/MX4dKro.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/9 "2025-10-11T13:17:23Z")
Thorough. Very thorough. I wonder if the arc of unnatural-looking green stuff at the bottom right is an artifact of the firefighting efforts or is a witness mark of e.g. building insulation whose arc suggests where the point of origin of at least one of the major blasts was? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/10 "2025-10-11T13:44:53Z")
That’s even worse than the time the self-destruct mechanism got hit and blew itself up. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/11 "2025-10-11T15:42:48Z")
It looks like everything in that plant that could blow up, did blow up. I heard that they made land mines and such. Does anyone know what they did make? Bunker busters? Jeez. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/12 "2025-10-11T16:12:38Z")
From their website: > [@](#): > > Our product lineup includes everything from traditional Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and Atwater 5KG Chargers to advanced solutions like M18A1 Claymore mines and M68 Inert Training Mines. We offer a wide range of commercial and military bulk products, including Avalanche Control Charges, Pelletized Explosives, and TOPCAP Boosters. Our specialty lies in the manufacture of precision-engineered items such as Linear Shaped Charges, Specialty Cast Charges, and Warhead Cast Charges. Additionally, we provide Specialty Coated Formulations, Cast Boosters, and Composition C-4 for various application needs. * * * > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > It sounds like a lot of fatalities. USA Today says 19 missing. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/13 "2025-10-11T18:04:59Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I wonder if the arc of unnatural-looking green stuff at the bottom right I noticed those in the first helicopter video of the site. Here’s a closer look [![](https://i.imgur.com/wWqlerQ.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/wWqlerQ.jpeg) And I read a Facebook post comment section last night that included several current and former employees of the company, and someone asked about those. They are cylinders that explosive booster charges are packed into. (Poured, while liquid, I think. That building worked with liquid mixtures on the 2nd floor.) ETA: they are probably the “topcap boosters” mentioned in the above quoted section from their website. > **[da7289\_b5790f65a1474cc2b6a6ca29a29c3da3.pdf](https://www.aesys.biz/_files/ugd/da7289_b5790f65a1474cc2b6a6ca29a29c3da3.pdf)** > > 1282.13 KB ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/14 "2025-10-11T18:07:11Z")
Big bada boom! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/15 "2025-10-11T18:08:51Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > > It sounds like a lot of fatalities. > > USA Today says 19 missing. Eighteen missing and presumed dead; the nineteenth was found at home. (Clearly the right day to be running late for work.) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/16 "2025-10-11T18:25:44Z")
There is always sabotage. How much of their military stuff has ended in Ukraine, and how hard is this plant to replace? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/17 "2025-10-11T22:30:32Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > There is always sabotage. Explosions and uncontrolled fires are a constant hazard with any facility that works with energetic substances or produces flammable dust or gas. The United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (USCSB) has a YouTube channel with plenty of examples of [energetic facility accidents](https://youtube.com/@uscsb?si=GQTjJaTlwIS9DtGn) resulting from an lack of industrial safety measures and culture. As for this particular facility, details have already come to light regarding prior incidents and safety issues: > **[19 missing in explosion at Hickman County plant, officials say — everything...](https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2025/10/10/hickman-county-explosion-accurate-energetic-systems/86622105007/)** > > Everything we know after the Hickman County Sheriff's Office said an explosion occurred at an explosives manufacturing plant. > _Hickman County explosive manufacturer committed several violations_ > > _The explosives manufacturing facility at the heart of the massive explosion had previously committed several serious safety violations, according to a report from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development obtained by The Tennessean._ > > _The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an inspection of Accurate Energetic Systems’ facility in McEwen in April 2019, after receiving reports of five serious violations. One, for example, was that employees were permitted to consume food or beverages in areas exposed to toxic materials._ > > _Specifically, in this case, the employer hadn’t ensured surfaces in the break room, including the table and microwave, were kept free from the hazardous chemical cyclonite – a powerful high explosive classified as a toxic substance according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention._ The lack of controls over toxic and energetic substances is indicative of a lack safety culture or cost cutting for filtering and chemical monitoring systems. An explosive system production or assembly building will have bulk energetic materials in addition to finished products, and it is really easy to cause an ignition chain if these materials are not adequately controlled. Having worked with ordnance and propellants for going on twenty-five years I don’t think there is a single production facility that I’ve been to that hasn’t had some kind of serious incident in its history even if not as dramatic as this one, and in one case a facility explosion that essentially caused a large solid propellant motor manufacturer to shutter. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/18 "2025-10-11T23:07:27Z")
So do you mean that it was probably not sabotage or that sabotage is particularly easy to perform and disguise in that kind of facility? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/19 "2025-10-11T23:12:15Z")
In Tennessee, _nothing_ is _ever_ done. Until afterwards. And then–symbolic. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853/20 "2025-10-11T23:23:32Z")
I’m impressed that Tennessee has a place called Bucksnort. And it’s located in Hickman county, if you please. Sounds like a place that, if there were an explosives manufacturing facility there, would follow absolutely the most rigorous safety standards! What could possibly go wrong in Bucksnort, apparently named after a place where you could get a snort of moonshine for a buck? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-factory-in-tennessee-extremely-explodes/1023853.md?page=2)