No survivors found after Tennessee explosives plant blast

With 16 people unaccounted for, the tragedy is "even more devastating than we thought", says a sheriff.

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Recovery teams had been clinging to hope of finding any of the missing alive, as of Saturday evening "it's safe" to assume they are deceased, said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis.

Authorities had originally feared that 18 people had died, but two people believed present during the blast were actually not at the site and have been located, according to Davis.

It's still unclear what caused the explosion at the explosives plant in Bucksnort, Tennessee - roughly 56 miles (90km) south-west of Nashville.

Video footage taken on Friday showed fires still burning, charred vehicles, and smoke rising from the razed building at the facility, which specialises in the development and manufacture of explosives. Officials said debris was scattered for half a mile around where the building once stood.