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The explosion that occurred in the early hours of Friday in downtown Nashville, in the United States, and that generated debris in a “wide area” was “an intentional act”, according to local police. A cloud of smoke covered the city and it is still unclear if anyone was inside the vehicle that caused the incident, which resulted in no deaths, only three minor injuries receiving medical attention.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Nashville Metropolitan Police Chief John Drake said authorities were summoned for a shooting but found a mobile home with a recording announcing that a potential bomb would explode in 15 minutes. .
The police evacuated the place and, “shortly after, the motorhome exploded”, said the police official in a press conference, quoted by AP.
Police continue to search for cars and buildings adjacent to the scene of the blast, using dogs, according to AP. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has already been informed of the situation, and the investigation is being carried out by the FBI.
Dozens of buildings had to be evacuated and flights to Nashville International Airport were temporarily suspended due to telecommunications failures that are also affecting calls to the emergency number.
The explosion, which will be associated with a recreational vehicle that was parked, covered the tourist ‘heart’ of this North American city with smoke, full of bars, restaurants and other commercial establishments.
Broken windows, debris and damaged buildings – this was the scene of the deserted streets that dawn showed the local population. The first warnings received at 5:30 am by the authorities reported a fire. Others thought it was a tornado or an earthquake, as the explosion shook the walls. “We thought it was an earthquake or something,” describes Joseph Fafara, one of the residents.
The videos posted on the social network Facebook by the residents of the area show water running down the roof of the house, the sound of alarms and people screaming. “All my windows are destroyed. If I was sitting there, it could have been horrible, “said one resident Buck McCoy, quoted by the AP, who heard a” bomb-like “crash and saw” four burning cars. “
The Nashville Metro Police Department described, through the social network Twitter, that the explosion occurred at 6:30 am on Friday and that state and federal officials were at the scene, as well as emergency teams, including the fire brigade.
At the same time, local firefighters also took to Twitter to ask residents and others to avoid the area.
