Local sheriff sounds off on likely cause of reported explosions

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Reports have come in across southern Gibson County from locations including Fruitland and Coxville about loud explosions in the area. Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas says there is a likely cause for the loud explosions — Tannerite.

“It’s really common and not everybody hears one of them,” Sheriff Thomas said. “But I can say we probably get a call once a week.”

Sheriff Thomas says that was likely the cause of the explosions being reported the last few weeks. He says people commonly use it when hunting or clearing beaver dams.

“It’s a reactionary target made for shooting to get a reaction out of it a small explosion,” Sheriff Thomas said. “The problem is people are mixing it in large quantities and using it to blow up beaver dams or using it to blow ice out of their duck hunting spot. Or, you know, just putting it out in a field and shooting it to see how big of an explosion they can make with it.”

Concerned people in the area have reported the explosions being so loud and powerful that it even shakes their houses.

“People who hear it and think there’s no way that that’s what it can be, and I get it because I’ve seen it done in person,” Sheriff Thomas said.

The sheriff says some of the reports from a few weeks ago have already been confirmed.

“We got several phone calls about it, and one of my deputies actually located two guys out on the Caraway Hills Roads area right outside of Milan,” Sheriff Thomas said. “That’s what they were doing, trying to blow up a beaver dam.”

Sheriff Thomas also says whenever people do decide to go out and use the explosives to always make sure to call local law enforcement and just let them know ahead of time to help put people at ease.