Tennessee Town Devastated After Explosives Factory Blast Leaves 16 Presumed Dead

A wave of grief has swept through Bucksnort, Tennessee, after a deadly explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) explosives plant left 16 people presumed dead — a tragedy that has shattered this tight-knit rural community.

Residents gathered on Saturday night for an emotional candlelight vigil at the Maple Valley Baptist Church, where hymns filled the cold air and mourners clutched candles beneath a banner reading “Pray for the AES families.”

“This community isn’t huge, so that’s a lot of people to lose in an instant,” said Deacon Danny Bates as he led prayers for the victims. “It was just another day at work, and then, in an instant, they were gone.”

Among those mourning was Jerri Newcombe, who lost a close friend of more than 20 years in the explosion. Fighting back tears, she described her as “full of life — the kind of person who could make you laugh over anything.”

Authorities say all 16 missing workers are now presumed dead following Friday’s blast, which ripped through the factory, shook nearby homes, and sent thick plumes of smoke across Hickman and Humphreys counties.

Despite tireless efforts by nearly 300 first responders, officials confirmed that the search had transitioned from a rescue to a recovery operation. “At some point, we have to rip off the Band-Aid,” said an emotional Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis. “We are dealing with remains.”

Hickman County Sheriff Jason Craft said rapid DNA testing is underway to help identify victims, as federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigate the cause. Due to the highly volatile materials still at the site, officials warned it could take weeks for investigators to safely access the core of the blast area.

Bucksnort, a small town where nearly everyone knows one another, has been left reeling. “Everybody knows everybody here,” said local resident Tiffany Story, who lost her cousin and four other acquaintances in the explosion. “Whether by blood or not, this whole community is family.”

The AES factory, which employs around 80 people, is one of the area’s few private-sector employers offering above-average wages — a $19 hourly rate for entry-level positions, more than twice Tennessee’s minimum wage. Many locals have worked there or know someone who has.

Although the company has faced smaller incidents before — including a fatal 2014 explosion and minor safety fines in 2019 — local police say there were no previous complaints of unsafe working conditions.

Pastor Tim Ferris of Hurricane Chapel Free Will Baptist Church praised the town’s compassion during tragedy: “When something like this happens, people here rally around each other. They become the hands and feet of Jesus — caring, comforting, providing. That’s the beauty of this small town.”

As investigations continue, residents of Bucksnort say they are clinging to faith, community, and the memory of those lost — 16 lives gone “in an instant,” but never forgotten.