The Hickman County Sheriff’s Office confirms an explosion at an explosives manufacturing facility on Friday morning.

It happened at Accurate Energetic Systems in the Bucksnort area, just about an hour west of Nashville shortly before 8:00am CST.

WSMV, NBC's affiliate in Nashville , reports that "multiple" people are dead, at least 19 people are missing. "and multiple others have been hospitalized".

The sheriff’s office says EMS is responding to the scene.

The public is asked to avoid the area; however, if you can’t, you’re asked to stay clear and follow the instructions from local authorities.

"For your safety and to assist responders, please minimize non-emergency calls to the Sheriff's Office and 911,” the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page .

The

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