McEWEEN, Tenn. (AP) — Officials said Monday that 16 people died in devastating explosion Last week, investigators promised an arduous process to find evidence that may now be miles away and uncover what happened in the attack at a rural Tennessee explosives factory.
Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference that people in the close-knit community probably at least know the relatives of the victims killed in Friday’s explosion at a factory owned by Accurate Energetic Systems. The company supplies and researches explosives to the military and is a well-known employer in the region.
“This is a small county in rural America where everyone knows each other and everyone cares about each other,” Davis said.
As a person Changed to Sunday worship To process their grief, a congregation was grieving the loss of their pastor in the explosion.
Trent Stewart was pastor at Log Church in Waverly, which canceled Sunday school and worship this weekend and replaced it with a time of prayer in the sanctuary, Charlie Musick, the church’s associate pastor, posted on social media.
Stewart’s fiancee, Katie Stover, said on social media that the church was “full house” on Sunday.
“This would have absolutely thrilled Trent,” she wrote. “Thank you to everyone who came and we hope you’ll join us again next Sunday. It brought smiles to our faces and tears to our eyes to see how many people came out to honor Trent and all the rest of the family.”
In a previous post, she wrote that Stewart “made me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe. He truly was my best friend, my soulmate, and my man.”
Another victim, Reyna Gillahan, dreamed of paying off her home and leaving it to her family, so her daughter Rosalina Gillahan started fundraising after the explosion. It was one of several fundraisers for families who have lost loved ones.
Rosalina Gillahan posted on social media that her mother was “loving, strong, and a beautiful soul who always thought of others before herself.”
Humphreys and Hickman County sheriffs read the names of the victims at a news conference Monday. Others are: Jason Adams. Billy Baker. Christopher Clark. James Cook. Latisha Mays. Melinda Rainey. Steven Wright. Eric Anderson. Adam Boatman. Mindy Clifton. Jeremy Moore. Melissa Stafford. Rachel Woodall; and Donald Yowell.
The initial explosion was felt for more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) and left the factory with twisted, charred metal and the smoldering remains of burnt-out vehicles. authorities said there is there are no survivors.
Authorities said they were working to clear the hazardous area, which contained explosives, and identify the bodies.
Matthew Belew, acting special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said authorities could begin investigating the cause of the explosion once the area is secured. Brew said some of the relevant evidence is scattered over several miles.
“It’s like putting a puzzle back together,” Brew said. “We worked closely with AES to learn how to identify photos, blueprints, and things that were in the building. And then we slowly and methodically begin to put some of that together.”
Accurate Energetic Systems’ 1,300-acre (526-hectare) complex is located in a wooded area of middle Tennessee and consists of eight different specialty production buildings and one laboratory. Unincorporated Bucksnort is located approximately 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville and straddles the Hickman and Humphreys county line. The company has 115 employees, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
Hourly wages for entry-level jobs at Accurate Energetic Systems range from $19 to $21, depending on the employee’s shift, according to job ads posted by the company last month. This job requires only a high school diploma and some mechanical aptitude, and it pays better than jobs with similar educational requirements.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said the job would have been more attractive if people could avoid a long commute to a big city. Work takes me 30 minutes to Dixon and an hour to Nashville. Also, depending on the nature of the work, the pay may be higher.
“All things considered, these jobs were fairly desirable in the sense that those workers should have been compensated for the hazards,” Goss said.
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Mattis reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Josh Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.
