At least 18 people were missing after an explosion at a military munitions plant in the US state of Tennessee on Friday, the Humphreys County Sheriff said.
The sheriff confirmed there had been deaths but did not give a specific death toll.
what the authorities have said
“At this time we are able to confirm that we have 19 souls that we are searching for,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said earlier at a news conference.
“I can tell you that we have had deaths. I don’t want to put a number on it,” Davis said.
The Hickman County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed the explosion, saying “emergency services are currently working at the scene to respond to the situation.”
The explosion occurred at a plant operated by Accurate Energetic Systems in Hickman County.
The company manufactures and tests explosives in a building near Bucksnort, a city about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville, according to its website. The site is located roughly between Hickman and Humphreys counties.
What do we know so far about the eruption?
Officials told the Associated Press news agency that secondary explosions kept rescue services away from the burning site.
The mayor’s office in Hickman County initially told the French AFP news agency that it could not immediately confirm any deaths or the cause of the explosion.
Meanwhile, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference, “We have several people at this time with no known whereabouts. We’re trying to be mindful of the families and that situation.” “We have some people who have died.”
The Sheriff’s Office urged the public to stay away from the area and allow rescue workers to do their work.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known. The sheriff said the investigation could take several days.
Edited by: Sam Dusan Inayatullah