Multiple people dead or missing in military explosives company blast in U.S. Tennessee

NEW YORK, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Multiple people were killed and more are unaccounted for after an explosion occurred at a military explosives company in the U.S. state of Tennessee on Friday morning, officials told local media.

The explosion happened around 7:45 a.m. local time (1245 GMT), Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said at a news conference Friday. "We can confirm that we do have some that are deceased," Davis said.

At least 13 people are unaccounted for, Hickman County Mayor Jim Bates told ABC News.

The company, Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC, is located southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in the production of military explosives, the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office told CNN.

David Stewart with Hickman County Emergency Services told CNN earlier Friday that the office could not verify "the extent of damage or injuries."

Multiple agencies have responded to the scene and are working to assess and contain the fire, but they are currently holding back from the immediate area due to concerns over secondary explosions, the sheriff's office said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are among the agencies that have responded to the scene, Davis said.