Tennessee Plant Explosion That Killed 16 Was Preventable, National COSH Says

The blast that killed 16 workers at a military explosives plant in Tennessee last week likely could have been prevented with better safety measures and accountability, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health said in a statement.

“This is not an isolated event,” said Jessica Martinez, executive director of the worker-safety advocacy group, also known as National COSH. “Across the country, we see too many employers in high-risk industries cutting corners while regulators lack the staffing, funding, and authority to prevent disasters. Workers, especially in rural and marginalized communities, are treated as expendable. That must end.”

The group did not say what specific measures could have been taken to prevent the Oct.10 explosion near McEwen, Tennessee. Martinez called on state and federal officials to fully investigate; to increase funding for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration; and to strengthen whistleblower protections for workers who report hazardous conditions.

Investigators this week began combing through the rubble of the Accurate Energetic Systems factory, the Associated Press reported. Some of the evidence is spread over miles.

“It’s almost like putting a puzzle back together,” said Matthew Belew, acting special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “We have worked closely with AES to … look at pictures, look at blueprints, any of the identifying things that were in the building. And then we slowly methodically start to put some of that stuff together.”

Responders were also working to deal with explosive material at the site that has been damaged and remains volatile, authorities said. An ambulance and a helicopter used for air evacuations were brought in for the safety of first responders.

“It’s not like working an accident. It’s not like working a tornado. We’re dealing with explosions. And I would say at this time, we’re dealing with remains,” Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said during a news conference.

The initial blast was felt for more than 20 miles, leaving a smoldering wreck of twisted and charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the plant. The site is in a heavily wooded area of middle Tennessee, between the Tennessee River to the west and Nashville to the east.

National COSH’s Martinez said the risky nature of the facility’s work underscores the need for robust safety measures and enforcement.

“Explosives manufacturing is inherently dangerous – yet every single one of these deaths was preventable if proper oversight, safety measures, and accountability were in place. No one should die for a paycheck,” she said.

The plant, which manufactured and stored explosives for military and industrial use, employed more than 100 workers, many from surrounding small communities. While the company offers wages above the regional average, the explosion highlights the limited options available to workers in economically vulnerable areas, NCOSH noted.

An entry level job at Accurate Energetic Systems pays between $19 and $21 an hour, depending on which shift a worker is on, according to a job ad the company posted last month, AP reported. The jobs require only a high school diploma and some mechanical aptitude, making them better paid than jobs with similar education requirements.

Tennessee workers’ compensation law in 2025 provides a $10,000 burial allowance for deceased workers’ families, and up to $477,000 in benefits to dependents, according to the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute’s most recent compilation of state benefits. Spouses’ benefits end upon the spouse’s death or remarriage. Child benefits end at age 18 or at age 22 if the child is a student.

Photo: Christina Williams, right, hugs Tracy Cook during a candlelight vigil in Waverly, honoring the victims of the blast. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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