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Communications disruptions continue to plague much of Tennessee as US federal investigators searched the site for clues after a caravan exploded in Nashville on Christmas morning.
Police emergency systems in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, as well as Nashville’s Covid-19 Community Hotline and a handful of hospital systems, remained out of service because an AT&T headquarters was affected by the blast. .
The building contained a telephone exchange, with network equipment inside, although the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been affected.
Investigators have revealed that a person of interest was identified in the wake of the blast, and his home is being searched.
The heart of Nashville’s tourist scene, an area teeming with bars, restaurants and shops, was closed when experts examined the debris and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion.
Authorities say they are sure the explosion was a deliberate act.
Mayor John Cooper imposed a curfew in the central area until Sunday through an executive order.
AT&T said the restoration efforts face several challenges, including a fire that “reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.”
This has forced his teams to work with safety and structural engineers and to drill access holes to the building to reconnect power.
“Our teams continue to work around the clock on recovery efforts from yesterday morning’s explosion in Nashville,” the company said.
“We have two portable mobile sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being rolled out in the Nashville area and region.”
The state governor, Bill Lee, requested federal assistance from the White House due to the “severity and magnitude” of the impact of the explosion.
At least 41 buildings were damaged and communications systems, including home and mobile phone services and emergency call centers, failed across the state, he said.
Kentucky and northern Alabama were also affected.
Ray Neville, T-Mobile’s president of technology, said on Twitter that the service disruptions affected Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham and Atlanta.
The outages had even briefly suspended flights at Nashville International Airport, but services continued normally as of Saturday.
According to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake, police officers were responding to a report of gunfire when they encountered the motorcade issuing a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes.
Police evacuated nearby buildings and called the bomb squad. The vehicle exploded shortly after.
Law enforcement officials have said they believe the explosion was intentional, but have yet to establish a motive or target.
Mr. Lee tweeted: “This morning I visited the scene of the attack. The damage is shocking and it is a miracle that no resident died. (The First Lady Maria) and I continue to pray for those who were injured by the explosion.
The governor had been in quarantine due to his wife contracting Covid-19. However, the Republican said that both he and Maria tested negative, allowing them to visit Nashville.
On Friday, Drake told reporters that investigators at the site “have found tissue that we think might be remains, but we will examine it and inform you at that time.”
Three people taken to the hospital for treatment are in stable condition.
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation, agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said.
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved in the investigation.
The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes, such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism.
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