Community Rallies in Mourning After Explosives Factory Tragedy in Tennessee

Mon Oct 20 2025 23:00:49 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A devastating explosion at a local explosives factory in Tennessee has left a small community in mourning, with 16 people presumed dead and many families affected. A vigil was held to honor the victims.

In Bucksnort, Tennessee, residents are mourning the loss of 16 people presumed dead after a tragic explosion at an explosives factory. Community members gathered for a candlelit vigil to support one another amidst the grief. As the local sheriff transitions from rescue to recovery efforts, families are left with unanswered questions. The factory, a significant employer in the area, has been a source of pride and stability for many residents.

In Bucksnort, Tennessee, residents have spent a chilly autumn night heeding a simple message spraypainted on a concrete barrier by the side of the road: Pray for the AES families.

Community members gathered on Saturday for a candlelit vigil outside the Maple Valley Baptist Church after a blast at local explosives factory Accurate Energetic Systems (AES) left 16 people presumed dead.

This community of Hickman and Humphreys Counties is not huge, so that's a lot of people to lose in an instant, Deacon Danny Bates said to the approximately 40 attendees, who comforted each other and sang hymns such as It Is Well With My Soul.

Vigil-goer Jerri Newcombe said her friend of more than 20 years was among the victims. We celebrated birthdays together. It's just surreal, because she's gone and her babies are hurting, she said, referring to the victim's children and grandchildren. Local police have not publicly identified the unaccounted-for victims, who authorities presume have all been killed.

Residents of Bucksnort, a small town where the cell service is spotty, describe it as a close-knit community. The town had been holding out hope for good news after the explosion shook homes and drew hundreds of state and national first responders.

As search efforts turn into recovery missions, the sheriff acknowledges the emotional toll on the families and community. At some point, we have to rip off the Band-Aid, Sheriff Davis said, grappling with the reality of the situation.

The cause of the blast remains under investigation by the national Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The community mourns as they come together to support each other during this tragic time.