Downtown Nashville explosion knocks communications offline
What's the story
On Friday morning, a recreational vehicle parked in the deserted streets of downtown Nashville in the US, that was blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes, exploded. It caused widespread communication outages, taking down police emergency systems, and grounding holiday travel at the city's airport. Police were responding to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV.
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Surveillance video captured the warning issued from the RV
A surveillance video published on a Twitter account that appeared to be of someone from across the street from the blast, captured the warning issuing from the RV, "If you can hear this message, evacuate now," seconds before the explosion.
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Police officials believe the blast might be intentional
"Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly afterward," Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. They believe the blast was intentional but don't know a motive or target, and Police Chief Drake noted that officials had not received any threats before the explosion. Three people taken to hospitals for treatment were in stable condition on Friday evening.
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'The spirit of our country cannot be broken'
"This morning's attack on our community was intended to create chaos and fear in this season of peace and hope. But Nashvillians have proven time and time again that the spirit of our city cannot be broken," Mayor John Cooper said.
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Human remains found in the vicinity of the explosion
Two law enforcement officials said that authorities have found human remains in the vicinity of the explosion. The chief said investigators at the scene found tissues that they believed could be remains. Police could not say whether it came from someone inside the RV. "We do not know if that was a coincidence, or if that was the intention," police spokesman Don Aaron informed.
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The blast shook buildings and shattered windows
The blast sent black smoke and flames billowing from the heart of downtown Nashville's tourist scene. Buildings shook and windows shattered streets away from the explosion near a building owned by AT&T that lies one block from the company's office tower. AT&T said the affected building is the central office of a telephone exchange, having network equipment, and the blast interrupted the service.
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AT&T working to help restore service
AT&T's outages sites showed service issues in middle Tennessee and Kentucky and several police agencies reported that their 911 systems were down, including Knox County, home to Knoxville about 180 miles (290 kilometers) east of Nashville. AT&T worked to bring portable cell sites and worked with law enforcement to get access to repair its equipment. They noted, "power is essential to restoring" service.
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The FBI will be taking the lead in investigation
The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted flights out of Nashville International Airport. The FBI will be taking the lead in the investigation, agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said. Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were also on the scene. The American Red Cross of Tennessee announced that it was working with officials to open a shelter for victims.
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Residents share their experience
"We tried to rationalize it that it was an earthquake or something, but it was obvious it wasn't an earthquake," Joseph Fafara said. Buck McCoy, a resident, posted videos on Facebook showing water pouring down the ceiling of his home. McCoy said he heard gunfire 15 minutes before the explosion rocked his building, set cars in the street on fire, and blew trees apart.