Names of 16 people presumed dead in Tennessee plant explosion are released
The 16 people believed to have died in a Tennessee plant explosion last week were identified Monday by officials. The explosion occurred around 7:45 a.m. Friday at an Accurate Energetic Systems facility that processes ammunition and explosives. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said that the blast "encompassed one whole building."A cause of the explosion remains under investigation. The names of the 16 people are: Jason Adams, Erick Anderson, Billy Baker, Adam Boatman, Christopher Clark, Mindy Clifton, James Cook, Reyna Gillahan, LaTeisha Mays, Jeremy Moore, Melinda Rainey, Melissa Stanford, Trenton Stewart, Rachel Woodall, Steven Wright, and Donald Yowell. People console each other during a candlelight vigil honoring the victims of a blast at an explosives plant, Accurate Energetic Systems, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Waverly, Tenn. George Walker IV / APOfficials said that the release of the victims' names does not indicate that all remains have been identified, a news release states. They are all presumed dead."Identification efforts are ongoing," according to the joint statement from the Humphreys Country Sheriff's Office, Hickman County Sheriff's Office, Hickman County Emergency Management Agency and Humphreys County Emergency Management Agency. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in an update Sunday that response operations "continue to progress slowly and methodically" because of the extensive debris field and the potential presence of explosive materials. Controlled denotations were conducted Sunday at the site to dispose of hazardous materials, the agency said. Accurate Energetic Systems released a brief statement on its website and said that it extends thoughts and prayers to the "families, coworkers, and community members affected by this incident." Multiple federal, state and local agencies, including the FBI and the ATF, are assisting in the investigation.
