At 8:20am, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office received a call of an explosion at a black powder business located on County Road 3455. Deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Rural Fire Department #1, Clarksville Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Services responded to the scene. The business, Black Powder, Inc. is owned by Jerry Dean. According to the owner, one person was inside the business at the time of the explosion. That person suffered severe burns to his body and has been flown to a hospital in Little Rock by helicopter. The scene has been secured and investigators from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Office in Little Rock are responding to the scene to assist in the investigation.

Jerry Dorney
Chief Deputy