Authorities on Monday identified the 16 people killed in a devastating blast at a rural Tennessee explosives plant last week, as investigators predicted a painstaking process to reassemble puzzle pieces that may now be miles apart.

The sheriffs of Humphreys and Hickman counties read off the names of the victims at Monday’s news conference, which also include: Jason Adams; Billy Baker; Christopher Clark; James Cook; LaTeisha Mays; Melinda Rainey; Trenton Stewart; Steven Wright; Erick Anderson; Adam Boatman; Mindy Clifton; Reyna Gillahan; Jeremy Moore; Melissa Stafford; Rachel Woodall; and Donald Yowell.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said people in the tight-knit community probably at least knew the family or extended family of the victims killed in the explosion Friday at the plant owned by Accurate Energetic Systems. The company supplies and researches explosives for the military and is a well-known employer in the area.

“It’s just a small county, rural America, where everybody knows each other and everybody’s gonna take care of each other,” Davis said.

The initial blast was felt for more than 20 miles (32 kilometers), leaving a smoldering wreck of twisted and charred metal and burned-out vehicles at the plant. Authorities said there were no survivors.

The plant is located in a heavily wooded area of middle Tennessee, between the vital Tennessee River to the west and Nashville to the east. It straddles the Hickman and Humphreys county line in unincorporated Bucksnort, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Nashville.