10/13/25

NBC

The 16 people believed to have died in a Tennessee plant explosion last week were identified Monday by officials.

The explosion occurred around 7:45 a.m. Friday at an Accurate Energetic Systems facility that processes ammunition and explosives. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said the blast “encompassed one whole building.”

A cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

The 16 people are: Jason Adams, Erick Anderson, Billy Baker, Adam Boatman, Christopher Clark, Mindy Clifton, James Cook, Reyna Gillahan, LaTeisha Mays, Jeremy Moore, Melinda Rainey, Melissa Stanford, Trenton Stewart, Rachel Woodall, Steven Wright and Donald Yowell.

Officials said in a news release that releasing the victims’ names does not indicate that all remains have been identified. They are all presumed dead.

“Identification efforts are ongoing,” according to the joint statement from the Humphreys and Hickman county sheriff’s offices and emergency management agencies.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in an update Sunday that response operations “continue to progress slowly and methodically” because of the extensive debris field and the potential presence of explosive materials.

Controlled denotations were conducted Sunday at the site to dispose of hazardous materials, the agency said.

Accurate Energetic Systems said in a brief statement on its website that it extends thoughts and prayers to the “families, coworkers, and community members affected by this incident.”

Multiple federal, state and local agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are assisting in the investigation.