Authorities identify remains of 14 of 16 victims in Tennessee explosion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities said Wednesday they have identified the remains of 14 of the 16 people killed last week in a massive explosion at a Tennessee explosives plant, where even more dangerous materials may need to be disarmed and weeks of work could be needed to try to identify what triggered the blast.

At a news conference, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has positively identified 14 of the victims of Friday’s explosion at the plant owned by Accurate Energetic Systems. The state agency uses a “rapid DNA” process that can develop a DNA profile in less than two hours, and begins with samples taken from family members to compare with possible remains.

Those killed were between 25 and 60 years old. “The blessing that a lot of these families need is to be able to find some kind of closure,” Davis said, referring to DNA confirmation.

Davis said it was unclear how long the arduous process of cleaning up the scene and processing evidence would take.

“It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we weren’t back here in two months,” Davis said. “That’s how big and massive this scene is, and the delicacy with which they have to treat this thing is just unimaginable.”

Jamey VanVliet, the special agent in charge of the Nashville division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said there is still much work to be done on this vast scene. Accurate Energetic Systems supplies and researches explosives for the military and is a well-known company in the region. It employs about 150 people, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

The company’s 1,300-acre (526-hectare) complex, located in a heavily forested area of ​​middle Tennessee, is made up of eight different specialized production buildings and a laboratory. It straddles the Hickman and Humphreys county line in the unincorporated town of Bucksnort, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville.

The initial blast was felt for more than 20 miles, leaving a smoldering wreck of twisted, charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the factory. Authorities said there were no survivors and some evidence could be scattered for miles.

“For the most part, we were able to remove the actual hazardous materials and explosives from the scene,” VanVliet said. “That’s not to say that we won’t discover more as we move forward in this process. So we’re constantly aware of that. Additionally, in the early stages, we try to carefully and respectfully remove the victims’ remains from the scene.”

Authorities have not said what specific materials were in the building that exploded. Davis said it’s still part of the investigation and it’s “much too early” to speculate on where the explosion started.

The company has won numerous military contracts, largely with the U.S. Army and Navy, to supply different types of munitions and explosives, according to public records. Products range from bulk explosives to landmines and small breach charges, including C4.