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Meanwhile, confusion reigns over the cause of the blast, with one media outlet suggesting it was the result of a car bomb and another saying there was no evidence of foul play. Fire crews were called to 166 2nd Avenue North at 6.45 am local time. Phil Williams, a News Channel 5 reporter, tweeted: “Nashville police and firefighters are installing radiation monitors to assess the situation downtown near the blast site. This is all a precaution at this time.
He later added: “Nashville fire crews were told to back ANOTHER two blocks from the blast site in the downtown area.
“Concerns: Possible Vehicle Bombs Left in Area, Potential Radiation”.
Once again he emphasized: “This is all CAUTION at this point.”
Mr. Williams suggested that the source of the explosion had in fact been a parked vehicle and that Metro Police had identified an extended debris field extending approximately two blocks from the city.
However, WKRN reporter Elizabeth Lane tweeted: “The Office of Emergency Management believes this was an RV explosion. They do not suspect anything at this time.”
Jason Steen, editor of @ScoopNash, posted: “Big explosion in downtown Nashville” serious structural damage “… evacuation of lofts in 2nd / Commerce – based on Nashville Fire radio traffic – some walking on their own – glass and steel ‘EVERYWHERE’. “
He added: “A structure is on fire in the center – searching for victims in progress – several people left upper residences on their own.
“Preparing for multi-casualty incidents, triage is done on site.
“The building is ‘devastated’, the vehicles on the road are on fire, the NFD is about to extinguish them with water from the engine 9; most of the human injuries so far are not life threatening.”
Steen cited the Nashville Fire Department as suggesting that there had been between 20 and 30 people, and the majority of human injuries so far are not life threatening.
Several vehicles on the road also caught fire, he added.
He suggested that the building had collapsed as a result of the explosion, and that firefighters had withdrawn from the scene with all personnel accounted for.
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Another added: “We’re sorry at Mount Juliet. “
A statement from MFD read: “There is an incident involving an explosion. This is an active scene.
“The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Nashville Fire Department are on the scene.
“There are no additional details to provide at this time.”
Nashville Metropolitan Police Department
Nashville, in the US state of Tennessee, is famous for being the center of the country music scene.
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