Bucksnort Community United in Grief After Explosives Factory Tragedy

Fri Nov 28 2025 20:22:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Residents of Bucksnort, Tennessee, come together in mourning after a devastating explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems factory, presumed to have claimed 16 lives.

The small town of Bucksnort, Tennessee, is reeling from a tragic explosion at the Accurate Energetic Systems explosives factory, which left 16 workers presumed dead. A candlelight vigil at the Maple Valley Baptist Church drew locals together to mourn, share memories, and comfort one another in the wake of this unprecedented loss. With the community’s close-knit ties and shared histories, the impact of the tragedy has reverberated deeply through families and friends of the victims, who are now faced with uncertainty and grief.

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.

It was just another day at work, and then in an instant, they were gone. We have unanswered questions.

Vigil-goer Jerri Newcombe said her friend of more than 20 years was among the victims. The two met when Newcombe's granddaughter and the victim's daughter became close as little girls.

They grew up together - we were in each other's homes, Newcombe told the BBC at the vigil. 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.

The local police have not publicly identified any of the unaccounted-for victims, who authorities presume have all been killed.

Her friend was full of life, Ms. Newcombe said. She was the type of person that could make you laugh over anything, but you didn't cross her either, or she would tear into you, Ms. Newcombe added amid tears and laughter, as her granddaughter comforted her.

Bucksnort is a close-knit town where the cell service is spotty and a gas station - adorned with a Confederate flag center piece - is the local watering hole, residents say. This tragedy has hit the area hard as the community mourns family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

The town had been holding out hope for good news after the explosion on Friday morning shook homes across the area, clouded the skies with smoke and drew a surge of hundreds of state and national first responders to an otherwise sleepy community tucked behind forests along a busy motorway.

But after nearly two days with no sign of survivors and the explosion site still considered dangerous for first responders, even the previously optimistic Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said the time had come to switch to a recovery - rather than rescue - strategy.

At some point in time, we have got to rip off the Band-Aid, Davis, who has held back tears at news conferences, said. We are dealing with remains. Authorities have actively been engaged in careful assessments for nearly two days, and despite continuing rapid DNA analysis, many families are facing the painful prospect that their loved ones are likely not returning home.

No cause of the blast has yet been identified, and agents from the national Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are investigating. The volatile nature of the explosive materials has hindered the emergency response, requiring meticulous safety measures before controlled detonations can occur to stabilize the area.

Residents have expressed mutual comfort and a strong sense of community during this tragic time as they mourn not only their losses but also reflect on the fragility of everyday life.