BUCKSNORT, Tenn. (WKRN) — As investigations proceed into the Tennessee explosion that left 18 people unaccounted for on Friday, Nexstar’s WKRN has gained further insights into the company managing the site.

Accurate Energetic Systems specializes in manufacturing both defense and commercial explosives. Documents indicate that the facility has encountered multiple violations from the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

In 2019, the company was issued “serious” citations due to the presence of cyclonite, an explosive powder, in areas designated for employee eating and drinking. Cyclonite exposure “could lead to central nervous system impairment.” That year, two employees suffered seizures and were potentially exposed to cyclonite while working in a facility referred to as a “Hot House.” Discussions between an employer’s representative and a TOSHA representative also included topics on personal protective equipment.

“The employer mentioned that employees had the option to wear long sleeves at work, but they did not want to overemphasize PPE due to their belief that wax-coated cyclonite would not easily penetrate the skin,” noted the document. “The TOSHA representative stressed that cyclonite carries a skin designation, and it is the employer’s duty to minimize employees’ skin exposure.”

The serious violation highlighted that “the break room surfaces, including tables and microwaves, were not maintained free of the hazardous chemical cyclonite.” Ultimately, the company reached a settlement with the state, paying $7,200 in fines, agreeing to implement several changes, and had the citations downgraded to other-than-serious.

Accurate Energetic Systems deals with high-powered materials such as TNT, producing goods for sectors including defense, aerospace, and mining. WKRN consulted with Chris Hinkle, a former FBI agent, regarding the response to such facilities.

“The first thing they’re going to want to do is make sure everybody’s accounted for,” Hinkle said. “They want to know what types of explosives are there, and what precautions they have to take before they go into that scene. When you enter that scene — just because they’ve had the explosion, there could still be unexploded ordinances that are there. There could be things that are delayed reactions with explosives. You really want to take your time.”

Hinkle said investigators will be focused on what was happening at the time of the blast.

“They should be able to find out the point of origin. We do this in fire investigations where you can look and you can kind of tell where the first blast of fire came from,” Hinkle said. “They should be able to track this down based on what the company was doing at the time, what they were working on, where it was, and if all of that matches up with what the company is saying, they should be able to wrap it up reasonably quick. It’s not going to be overnight, you really want to first make sure everybody is safe.”

As of Friday evening, there’s no indication as to what caused the explosion.