A vehicle-related explosion rocked downtown Nashville on Christmas morning, causing broken glass and debris over a wide area and shaking nearby buildings.
The Metro Nashville Police Department said via Twitter that the blast occurred at 6:30 a.m. Friday and that state and federal authorities were on the scene, as were emergency crews, including the fire department.
Black smoke and flames were seen pouring out of the area early Friday, which is packed with bars, restaurants and other retail establishments and is known as the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene.
Buildings shook in the immediate area and beyond after a loud crash was heard.
Metro Nashville’s Office of Emergency Management told Nashville television station WKRN that a parked RV exploded and damaged several buildings. No injuries were immediately reported. The station also cited officials who said the blast did not appear suspicious. The fire department sent out a tweet asking residents and others to avoid the area.
Human remains found near an explosion
Two law enforcement officers told The Associated Press that authorities found human remains in the vicinity of the blast that rocked downtown Nashville on Christmas morning.
It is unclear how the remains are related to Friday’s explosion or if they could belong to the person believed to be responsible or a victim.
The officials were unable to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Authorities have said they believe the explosion was intentional.
The city police chief said officers responded to a shooting report before discovering that the RV was issuing a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Police evacuated nearby buildings and called the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly after.
Buck McCoy, who lives near the area, posted videos on Facebook showing water falling from the roof of his home. Alarms sound in the background and the cries of people in great anguish sound in the background. A fire is visible on the street outside. McCoy said the windows in his house were totally broken.
“All my windows, each and every one of them blew into the next room. If it had been there, it would have been horrible, ”he said.
“It felt like a bomb. It was that big, ”he told The Associated Press.
“There were about four cars on fire. I don’t know if it was so hot that they caught fire and the trees were blown up, “he said.
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