Nashville explosion: Camper van blasts in 'intentional' attack, three injured

A recreational white van exploded in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, US early Friday, December 25, shortly after broadcasting a warning message to the local residents. The blast, which the Nashville Police Department called “an intentional act”, shook the city’s business district around 6:30 a.m. crumbling building structures, setting vehicles on fire, and causing destruction to public property. At least 3 were reported non critically injured from the explosion. 

The cops responded to a 911 emergency call reporting the gunshots fired in the street around 5:30 a.m. and arrived at the scene to find an RV parked in front of the AT&T building warning the public to evacuate the area ahead of an imminent explosion, sources of NBC on the ground confirmed. The Nashville PD rolled out a post, stating an explosion had occurred at  2nd Ave N as they sought for the eyewitnesses and anyone with information to come forward. 

Police officers found, in what is being reported, the possible human remains from the parked camper van blast site. An officer felt the impact of the blast as he was knocked off several feet at the time of the explosion. He, however, has not incurred serious injuries. The police released an image of the RV from the blast scene which was parked in front of the telecommunications firm AT&T. Sirens went off and water jets blasted from the pipeline systems gushing at the office building walls, trees were seen uprooted and buildings had cracked up similar to a scene from the aftermath of a war, according to the reports.

The Nashville PD, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) have launched a probe into the explosion, which, they called ‘intentional’. Don Aaron, Nashville police spokesman reportedly said that the blast was so severe that it had knocked out the police emergency systems, caused widespread communication outage, and had prompted the airplanes to the ground at the city’s airport. 

[Emergency personnel works near the scene of an explosion in downtown Nashville. Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]

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Attack created 'chaos and fear' 

At a press conference, Nashville Police Chief John Drake told reporters that the motive of the blast remains unclear and human tissues were retrieved at the site sent for forensic research. A  bomb squad was summoned at the scene, he said. The area was put under a curfew. “This morning’s attack on our community was intended to create chaos and fear in this season of peace and hope. But Nashvillians have proven time and time again that the spirit of our city cannot be broken,” Mayor John Cooper said at a news conference. 

No reports of any threats made or a target have been confirmed yet. “We do not know if that was a coincidence, or if that was the intention,” police spokesman Don Aaron told AP. Some people were taken to the police department’s central precinct for questioning. 

[Vehicle is on fire after an explosion in the area. Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]

[Credit: AP]

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(Image Credit: AP)