WASHINGTON: A motorhome exploded in downtown Nashville on Friday, shattering windows and injuring three people in what police described as an “intentional act,” as investigators searched for clues among scattered debris.

The blast in the southern US city left buildings and the road surface charred, as well as glass, tree branches and bricks strewn across the street in an area filled with businesses, restaurants and bars.

In a dramatic sequence of events that shattered the Christmas Day early morning peace, police were responding to calls that gunshots had been fired and arrived on the scene before the vehicle erupted in flames.

Their attention had been drawn to the “suspicious” motorhome in time for a bomb squad to clear the area before the explosion, police spokesman Don Aaron told reporters.

Pictures shared on social media from the immediate aftermath showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from the burning RV and store fronts that had been badly damaged.

US President Donald Trump was briefed on the incident, which was being investigated by the FBI and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in addition to the metropolitan police.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2020