16 people died in a blast at a Tennessee explosives factory early Friday, the sheriff says

McEWEN, Tenn. (AP) — A blast in rural Tennessee that leveled an explosives plant and was felt for miles around killed 16 people and left no survivors, authorities said.

The explosion left a smoldering wreck of twisted and charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the Accurate Energetic Systems plant, which supplies and researches explosives for the military.