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'The Loudest Thunderclap': Nashville Resident Recalls Christmas Explosion

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

In downtown Nashville this morning, Jeremy Schott and his wife awoke to what they thought was the loudest thunderclap they'd ever heard. Their windows rattled and the building shook. Then, they realized it wasn't raining.

JEREMY SCHOTT: And so we ran out into the living room and just saw, within probably 30 seconds, sirens and fire trucks, ambulances heading toward downtown. It was just devastation. Second Avenue was on fire.

SHAPIRO: Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the explosion was from an RV on the street that was intentionally detonated, injuring three people.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOHN DRAKE: And we're sweeping the downtown area just as a precaution to make sure that everyone is safe.

SHAPIRO: Jeremy Schott says he and his wife were confused and terrified for a while, but he is relatively glad that the explosion happened at 6:30 on Christmas morning.

SCHOTT: If it were 10 p.m. on a Friday, there would be hundreds of people dead.

SHAPIRO: Authorities say there doesn't appear to be an additional threat. The FBI is now taking over the investigation. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.