The victims were young and old, recent hires at AES and veteran workers, and leave behind grieving spouses, children and other loved ones and friends.

An explosion rocked Hickman County on Friday, Oct. 10. Here's what we know so far and about the explosion site Accurate Energetic Systems

A shaken sheriff said that a teacher, a neighbour and one of his best friends were among the victims who died in the 10 October blast.

According to its website, AES LLC sells explosives and “energetic products” to the military and aerospace industries as well as commercial demolition companies. Its production site in Bucksnort, Tennessee, was cited for five OSHA violations in November 2019, two of them marked as serious, though the case against them was closed in March 2023.

An explosion in rural Tennessee leveled an explosives plant, killing 16 people, on Oct. 10. The cause of the blast at Accurate Energetic Systems in Humphreys County is still unknown.