26 votes

Blast at Tennessee munitions plant leaves eighteen missing, possibly dead

11 comments

  1. CannibalisticApple
    Link
    One of the most chilling descriptions I've heard of destruction. The national news showed the clip of him saying that, and it was just sobering. Made me instantly imagine an empty field without...

    When asked to describe the building where the blast occurred, Davis said, "There's nothing to describe. It's gone."

    One of the most chilling descriptions I've heard of destruction. The national news showed the clip of him saying that, and it was just sobering. Made me instantly imagine an empty field without even any rubble.

    13 votes
  2. [3]
    nukeman
    Link

    Oct 10 (Reuters) - Nineteen people were missing and possibly dead after a devastating explosion on Friday morning at a military explosives plant in Tennessee, officials said.

    The explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems about 50 miles (80 km) west of Nashville occurred at 7:45 a.m. local time (1245 GMT), Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told a press conference.

    Accurate Energetic Systems develops, manufactures and stores explosives for "military, aerospace, and commercial demolition markets," according to the company's website. The 1,300-acre headquarters in Bucksnort, Tennessee, includes eight production buildings and a quality lab.

    Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates told CNN the plant did not have a history of safety problems, although there was a small ammunition explosion there in 2014. That incident killed one person and injured three, according to The Tennessean newspaper.

    11 votes
    1. [2]
      ackables
      Link Parent
      Doesn’t a “small ammunition explosion” that killed someone constitute a “history of safety problems”?

      Doesn’t a “small ammunition explosion” that killed someone constitute a “history of safety problems”?

      1 vote
      1. CptBluebear
        Link Parent
        One safety mistake 11 years ago does not constitute a history of safety problems, you'd call that a single safety incident. No factory is perfectly safe, more so when it's ammunition. It appears...

        One safety mistake 11 years ago does not constitute a history of safety problems, you'd call that a single safety incident. No factory is perfectly safe, more so when it's ammunition. It appears they've been running a decent shop for at least a decade.

        I also don't know the context of that incident. It could've been lax safety standards, it could've also been an employee disregarding protocol.

        5 votes
  3. [6]
    MimicSquid
    Link
    So, who thinks it's sabotage?

    So, who thinks it's sabotage?

    2 votes
    1. [4]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Nah, the exact opposite for me. I've seen enough USCSB industrial disaster investigation videos over the years that I highly doubt this was sabotage... it was probably just caused by negligence...

      Nah, the exact opposite for me. I've seen enough USCSB industrial disaster investigation videos over the years that I highly doubt this was sabotage... it was probably just caused by negligence and lax safety protocols stemming from good old fashioned corporate greed, like almost all of the others I've watched have been as well. I'd wager money on it.

      28 votes
      1. [3]
        MimicSquid
        Link Parent
        Legit. I do like their videos. It just feels like a bit of good luck for the Russians if American explosives production capacity dips, and I distrust things that benefit people who could have the...

        Legit. I do like their videos. It just feels like a bit of good luck for the Russians if American explosives production capacity dips, and I distrust things that benefit people who could have the willingness and ability to do something hinky.

        3 votes
        1. Eji1700
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          This is an insanely small part of production in the heart of the US. They have much easier and lucrative targets they can hit before this. If it’s any sort of sabotage I would suspect domestic...

          This is an insanely small part of production in the heart of the US. They have much easier and lucrative targets they can hit before this.

          If it’s any sort of sabotage I would suspect domestic terrorism long before state actor, but negligence is the most likely by far.

          11 votes
        2. bushbear
          Link Parent
          "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." I feel like this is an appropriate time to use this quote. Most likely as cfabbro, corpo greed.

          "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

          I feel like this is an appropriate time to use this quote. Most likely as cfabbro, corpo greed.

          4 votes
    2. nukeman
      Link Parent
      High explosives are one of those things where it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong. Could’ve been someone forgot to discharge static and everyone wanted to get things finished before the...

      High explosives are one of those things where it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong. Could’ve been someone forgot to discharge static and everyone wanted to get things finished before the weekend.

      5 votes