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Of: Nora fernstedt, Sophie Stigfur, Beri Zangana
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An RV explosion shook Nashville on Christmas morning.
A voice was heard from the car warning that the public would be evacuated.
“We believe the explosion was intentional,” Nashville police Peter Licata told CNN.
The blast in downtown Nashville in the US state of Tennessee is said to have been felt several miles away, according to local media.
The rescue service rushed to the area at 6:45 a.m. local time, 1:45 p.m. Swedish time. Images and films from the area show the devastation with scattered glass shards and steel beams.
On Twitter, Nashville police posted a photo of what the exploding motor home should look like and asked the public for advice.
– This is the caravan that exploded this morning, the police writes on Twitter and shows a photo of the car.
Three were injured
So far, three people have been reported injured and are now receiving hospital care, according to WTVF. At midnight Swedish time, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said his condition was stable.
Several buildings were also damaged and some 40 businesses were affected, according to Cooper.
According to CBS News sources Suspected human remains have been found near the scene of the explosion. However, there is no information on whether it can be related to the explosion.
Nashville police have not yet been able to confirm whether human remains have been found, but said at a news conference that the traces are being investigated. To date, there have been no confirmed deaths.
Warning: “Evacuate now”
Police had been alerted and were on their way to investigate a suspicious object when the blast occurred. During a press conference, police confirmed that a warning had been issued from the car, with a 15-minute countdown for it to explode.
The warning urged people in the area to withdraw.
– If you hear this message, evacuate now, was the message that was played according to a video that captured parts of the course of events.
Counted every minute
Betsy William witnessed the explosion. She tells CNN about the 15 minute countdown.
– It sounded like a recorded voice, says Betsy Williams and continues:
– When there were eleven minutes left, we took the elevator down. The last we heard was 8 minutes left, says Betsy Williams, adding that the recording counts minute by minute.
Encourage People: Stay Away From Cars
When police and the bomb squad arrived at the scene, the trailer exploded, Nashville police said at a news conference.
Several blocks have been evacuated. The area is cordoned off and people are urged to stay away from cars and other vehicles due to the risk of further explosions.
Mayor John Cooper has issued a weekend curfew in the affected area. Additionally, all flights from Nashville have been temporarily halted due to the incident, writes AFP.
Intentional explosion
“We are closing the streets in the area while an investigation is under way,” Nashville police said, adding that the blast was “intentional.”
– We believe the explosion was a deliberate act. We are now going through surveillance cameras showing how the vehicle was moving and speaking with witnesses, Peter Licata of the Nashville police tells CNN.
Police could have been a potential target, according to Andrew McCabe, a former FBI deputy director. He tells CNN that the incident will likely be investigated as terrorism, but emphasizes that it doesn’t necessarily have to be.
– When there is such a powerful explosion, you start investigating it as terror, he says.
Investigating the cause
Buck McCoy, who lives in the area, has posted photos on Facebook showing water running down the roof of his home after the home suffered damage. Alarms flash in the background and screams of fear are heard in the background. The windows of his house are completely broken, he tells the AP news agency.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has been informed of the events in Nashville.
The Nashville Tourism Board has promised $ 10,000 in rewards to anyone who presents crucial advice, writes local newspaper The Tennessean.
Photo: Mark Humphrey / TT
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