A huge blast tore through a section of downtown Nashville early on Friday, after police responding to reports of gunfire discovered a parked motor home blaring a warning that it carried a bomb.
The powerful explosion shattered windows and ripped apart trees, wounding several people when it detonated at 6:30am in a section of the southern US city that was largely deserted due the early hour and the Christmas holiday.
Nashville Chief of Police John Drake told reporters that there were no confirmed fatalities, but authorities were examining tissue found at the blast site that they believe could be human remains.
Photo: AP
He added the city had not received any threats, and a possible motive was unknown.
The explosion could be felt kilometers away and damaged dozens of businesses — scattering glass, debris and bricks, as well as causing the collapse of one building in an area with numerous bars, restaurants and shops.
In a dramatic sequence of events that shattered the Christmas morning calm, police rushed to the area after receiving reports of gunshots and noticed the vehicle as they arrived on the scene.
A recorded message playing from the motor home warned that a bomb would detonate within 15 minutes — enough time for a bomb squad to clear the area before the explosion, Drake and police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters earlier on Friday.
Witnesses told the Tennessean newspaper that the warning, spoken in a woman’s voice, counted down to the blast.
“Evacuate now. There is a bomb. A bomb is in this vehicle and will explode,” one recalled the chilling recording saying.
Pictures shared on social media from the immediate aftermath showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from the burning recreational vehicle and storefronts that had been torn apart.
The blast happened near an AT&T facility, knocking out phone services for many in the area.
Nashville International Airport announced that it had temporarily halted flights due to “telecommunications issues” associated with the blast.
Police began knocking on doors and evacuating residents due the bomb warning, not knowing if or when the detonation could come.
The blast knocked an officer to the ground and gave another officer hearing loss, the paper said.
Firefighters said that at least three people were taken to hospital with minor injuries, according to local media.
The damage was “limited but it is dramatic,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said, adding that the city was “lucky” the blast had occurred on Christmas when few people were downtown.
“It’s unfortunate, but any other morning I think it would have been a much worse story,” Cooper said.
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