HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. — A Tennessee man narrowly avoided death after the Accurate Energetic Systems factory, a manufacturer of military and demolition explosives, exploded just minutes after he left work.
The employee clocked out at 7:37 a.m. and said goodbye to his co-workers. At 7:45 a.m., a catastrophic explosion leveled the building. Aerial footage showed the entire facility destroyed, and officials confirmed that 16 workers were killed in the blast.
Humphrey County Sheriff Chris Davis called the incident “one of the most devastating disasters” officials have encountered. The man told a journalist on TikTok that he initially thought the news was a bad joke, realizing only afterward how close he had come to dying.
He also shared that his third-shift supervisor was among those who did not survive. “I said goodbye to a lot of co-workers not knowing it would be my last goodbye,” he said.
While social media users expressed relief that he survived, many noted the psychological toll he may face, including shock, trauma, survivor’s guilt, and potential unemployment.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion. The tragedy is expected to have long-lasting effects on families, friends, and the local community.
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