HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. — The deafening sound of an explosion heard more than 20 miles away, brought new scrutiny to a company that otherwise had gone quiet for years.
19 people are still missing and feared dead, according to Hickman and Humphrey’s county law enforcement.
They say building “six” on the property of Accurate Energetic Systems is what exploded Friday morning, leaving behind debris that was still on fire when Sky5 flew above.
Company history includes previous fatal explosion
In 2014, another facility on the same property exploded, killing Rodney Edwards and injuring three others. 20 people were in the facility operated by Rio Ammunition when it happened.
Accurate Energetic Systems, established in 1980, specializes in producing explosives for military, aerospace and commercial industries. The company describes itself as manufacturing "high-quality energetic products," including TNT, claymore mines and "various high explosive compositions and specialty products for the U.S. DoD and U.S. Industrial markets."
The facilities sit virtually on the county line between Hickman and Humphreys counties and spans more than 1,300 acres. In 2020, the company invested $9.7 million in expansion projects.
According to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, AES processes ammunition and explosives for various clients at eight production buildings, which include a quality control lab and test range. TEMA makes it clear that AES does not manufacture these products.
On their website, however, AES refers to themselves as “your trusted partner in energetics and explosives manufacturing.”
The state fire marshal's office shows AES has held a license to purchase and receive explosives since 2001, without any lapses.
Previous workplace violations and legal challenges
Records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration show AES has faced three workplace violations since 2019, labeled as "sanitation" and "hazard communication" issues. The company paid fines ranging from $2,000 to $7,000 for each violation and challenged some of these citations.
Court records show the company has been sued by former employees in recent years over allegations of age discrimination and forcing workers to perform off-the-clock hours without pay. These cases were later settled.
One former employee claimed in their lawsuit that potentially 100 other workers could have sued over similar unpaid overtime issues.
This is a developing story.
