Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Authorities in Tennessee have confirmed that 16 people have died following a massive explosion at a military munitions plant.

Getting into it: The announcement, made by Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis, followed a day-long search and recovery effort at the Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) facility in Bucksnort, where a catastrophic explosion leveled one of the site’s primary production buildings. The blast occurred around 7:45 a.m. local time on Friday and was so powerful that debris was found up to two miles away, and residents as far as 15 miles away reported feeling the shockwave.

The scene is still extremely dangerous, with unexploded materials scattered throughout the blast zone. Controlled detonations are being conducted to neutralize remaining threats, and search teams are moving cautiously through the debris.

As of now, investigators have not yet determined the cause of the explosion. Agencies including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are now involved, working to gather physical evidence and perform rapid DNA testing to confirm victim identities. Sheriff Davis emphasized the complexity and danger of the recovery, calling it a “foot-by-foot” process and warning it could take weeks or even months to fully understand what triggered the explosion.

This comes as the AES plant manufactures and stores military-grade explosives such as Pentolite and Comp-B, compounds often used in cast boosters and demolition charges. AES has supplied explosives to various branches of the US military and law enforcement, and has received tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts. In a statement, the company described the incident as a “tragic accident” and offered condolences to the victims’ families, but did not disclose any possible causes or further operational details.