Nashville peeps

[Scarlett]

Horrible.  I just hate to see such destruction. Thankfully  it sounds like no deaths so far.  

[fairfarmhand]

Yeah my dh works for the city and his phone is chiming like crazy. So surreal...

Edited December 25, 2020 by fairfarmhand

[ScoutTN]

So scary and terrible!

We are nowhere near downtown, thankfully. Neighbor who is a cop downtown is there now.

[teachermom2834]

The pictures are so bad 🙁 

So scary. 

[teachermom2834]

This story is very strange. The recording from the RV warning of the explosion? So strange. 

[Scarlett]

7 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

This story is very strange. The recording from the RV warning of the explosion? So strange. 

 Very. 

[TravelingChris]

43 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

This story is very strange. The recording from the RV warning of the explosion? So strange. 

Yes, it is. Disgruntled employee of AT and T or other nearby employer???   Considering it has shut down 911 and Nashville International Airport, prelude to something even bigger???  My dh suggested since the Frist Art Museum is 10 blocks away so not in immediate area but in an area that police from that area would leave to explosion site, that may be a target for art thieves.  I just looked and they have a large Durer exhibit now.  

Edited December 25, 2020 by TravelingChris

[teachermom2834]

21 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

Yes, it is. Disgruntled employee of AT and T or other nearby employer???   Considering it has shut down 911 and Nashville International Airport, prelude to something even bigger???  My dh suggested since the Frist Art Museum is 10 blocks away so not in immediate area but in an area that police from that area would leave to explosion site, that may be a target for art thieves.  I just looked and they have a large Durer exhibit now.  

Well that's an idea. I am northeast of Chattanooga and we have AT& T outages here and 911 is down in areas. When I saw it the first thing I thought was disgruntled employee. Who sets off that kind of bomb and gives a warning? What was the gunfire? 

Edited December 25, 2020 by teachermom2834

[athena1277]

25 minutes ago, teachermom2834 said:

Well that's an idea. I am southeast of Chattanooga and we have AT& T outages here and 911 is down in areas. When I saw it the first thing I thought was disgruntled employee. Who sets off that kind of bomb and gives a warning? What was the gunfire? 

We are in Huntsville, AL.  Local news reported outages from KY to N AL.  It was kinda weird though.  My mom is visiting and she called a few people this morning without problems, but when she tried to call her brother late morning, we had no service.  I would have thought it would have been out since it happened.

Edited December 25, 2020 by athena1277

[teachermom2834]

Just now, Thatboyofmine said:

This has to be one of the odder explosions I’ve heard of.   Has anyone heard if the voice from the van was an actual person’s voice or if it sounded like a computer?  

I heard it and it sounds professional. A woman's voice but computerized? I don't know about these things but it isn't like I'm speaking into a microphone. It is like a professional recording like an announcement you would hear over a public address system. When I heard it I couldn't figure out if it was coming from the RV or some public safety warning. There is a video out there of it. 

I just saw they found human remains near the site but they don't know if that is a victim or someone involved. 

That was a serious explosion. Who does that and warns people to evacuate? Bomb warnings usually don't actually involve bombs and big bombs usually go off without warning. ??? 

[ScoutTN]

Our internet is AT&T and went out this afternoon. Fine all morning. Dh suggested they had to close the system down to make repairs. Scary to have 911 not functioning. 

Seems like whoever set the bomb intended property destruction primarily. 6:30 am on Christmas is largely (thankfully!) deserted downtown, especially around 2nd Ave. 

We didn't hear or feel it, but neighbors did.

[Amira]

There are actually times when people setting off a bomb have warned it was happening ahead of time.  It depends on what the goals and motivations are of the terrorists.  There are plenty of people who want to cause a variety of problems, but aren’t necessarily targeting innocent people (although, obviously, they’re not too fussed about risking innocent lives if they’re setting off a huge bomb). 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Amira

[Ditto]

We live in another state  but have AT&T.  Our service was fine until this afternoon but now we can't dial out.  We can receive calls and have a dial tone, but whenever we try to dial out we get a rapid busy signal.  It is very weird.   Like someone else mentioned,  I was surprised our service was fine until this afternoon given the explosion happened this morning.

It is definitely an odd story and I wonder if it will get even more odd as more information comes to light.  I just read they found a body in the vicinity of the explosion, I wonder if it was from the RV that exploded.  That recording warning people was just creepy to read about.

[Clemsondana]

Knoxville police posted an alternate phone number because 911 wasn't working properly.  They've also been posting regular road updates - east TN got hit with several inches of snow over 2 hrs on Christmas Eve.  The snow was unexpected and the roads were not prepped.  Hopefully the roads were becoming more manageable by the time 911 went down.  

[Ditto]

8 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said:

I just listened to it and watched it.   I still have chills.   The voice recording was sending out that warning until the explosion, so I’m wondering if the body was of someone actually trying to evacuate?   I hope not. 😔

Where did you listen to it?  I haven't found a recording yet.  I really hope the body isn't of someone trying to evacuate or of a first responder.  This whole scenario is like something out of a super creepy movie.

[Ditto]

6 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said:

https://nypost.com/2020/12/25/nashville-explosion-rv-played-audio-warning-before-blast/
 

it’s the second video.   The video cuts out during the explosion and comes back on again. 

That is chilling to hear.  It does sound very professional and "official".

[fairfarmhand]

I’m on my dhs phone. He has Verizon which is the only one that works now. My phone hasn’t worked at all today, nor has our land line or home phone.

[StillStanding]

I have family in Nashville (not downtown) and I live 40 minutes from Nashville.

911 went down in our county too. Family in Kentucky were affected as well when ATT went down....The whole thing is so bizarre.

I hope the tissue is not human. 

[ScoutTN]

We purposefully keep our cell phones and internet with two different providers because of temporary outages.  More expensive, but nice to have a back-up communication option.

Our phones are  on Verizon and we've never had an outage or a dropped call. We have had major problems with AT&T in 2020, with over two weeks of no service (though not all at once).  

[Scarlett]

2 hours ago, Thatboyofmine said:

https://nypost.com/2020/12/25/nashville-explosion-rv-played-audio-warning-before-blast/
 

it’s the second video.   The video cuts out during the explosion and comes back on again. 

I did not hear it come back on after the explosion. 

[RootAnn]

1 minute ago, Scarlett said:

I did not hear it come back on after the explosion. 

The audio stays off, but the video comes back.

[Scarlett]

Just now, RootAnn said:

The audio stays off, but the video comes back.

Oh I misread!  Thank you.  I was wondering how the audio could start up again. 

[mommyoffive]

Wow, this is so horrible.  This is the first I have been on the internet or news today.  Sorry but 2020 has been such a shitty year and to scare and hurt people on Christmas day when it should be the one peaceful and hopeful day of the this crappy year is such a horrible thing to do.   I hope they find whoever did this and that nobody was hurt. 

[TravelingChris]

All in my actual family, we all have Verizon since we came back to the US and were stationed on a Florida island where Verizon was the only service that worked.  Even here in Huntsville, AL many of  the counties outside of where we live also are unreliable if you have AT&T.  Dsil and his family have it and I am sure they are surprised he hasn't called today. 

[RootAnn]

This article seems to imply that after power to the machinery in the AT&T building was cut in the explosion, generators & other power backup systems kept everything running for a period of time. Over the day, those systems "deteriorated" and led to the disruptions being experienced now. That makes sense to me. Until they can get in to the building, get the backup power running again (until power can be restored) & make repairs, they are trying to reroute & set up temporary systems.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/25/us/nashville-explosion-service-disruptions/index.html

Edited December 26, 2020 by RootAnn
Forgot to add link!

[Pawz4me]

8 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

to scare and hurt people on Christmas day 

It seems to me that whoever did it didn't really want to hurt anyone. Parking an RV where it stands out, and in the wee hours of Christmas morning when few people were out, and then broadcasting a recorded warning -- to me it seems someone wanted to damage property, but not to hurt anyone.

[teachermom2834]

The more I think about it the more it seems like an attempt to take down communications and 911. The outages are far reaching. Which is scary because it seems like a test or a dry run for something else? 

[Clemsondana]

3 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

It seems to me that whoever did it didn't really want to hurt anyone. Parking an RV where it stands out, and in the wee hours of Christmas morning when few people were out, and then broadcasting a recorded warning -- to me it seems someone wanted to damage property, but not to hurt anyone.

They may not have intended to hurt anyone directly, but if 911 is shut down in multiple cities, people being hurt or dying due to lack of care is a forseeable result.  Temperatures are in the teens here, which is unusually cold for the area. Between the normal seasonal electrical issues and the number of people using portable space heaters, it's a busy season for fire crews.  The house fire on the local news yesterday seems to have hit while 911 was still working.  I'd also guess that we are in for 2 days of black ice and cars skidding off the road every morning as the roads refreeze overnight.  

[sheryl]

I didn't know about this until this thread.  Thanks for the info.  This is so sad and disturbing.  Why does man so wicked?  Who would do this?  To our Nashville friends to our west by 7-8 hours - I'm so sorry for this!  

DH said it impacted 40 businesses (commercial and residential).  That was huge!

Is there a resource link to learn of ways to help?  I'd like to find out if we'd be able to some way (maybe not but it doesn't hurt to try).

[teachermom2834]

So the stores where I live (125 miles from Nashville) opened today to find their card readers don't work. I guess with everyplace closed on Christmas they are just figuring this out today. I just got on FB for the first time today and people are saying they can't get prescriptions, etc. because they don't have cash. Seeing it from friends that live 70 miles even east of here saying the same thing. Ugh. 

[ScoutTN]

Dh saw on FB that some people are excoriating AT&T for not having everything up and running yet. As if they haven't been working all through the night. As if they are not already doing everything they can.

Some people are idiots. 

Yes, some effects are much more important than others (911, cell service, Rx!)  and need to be prioritized. But I wish people who are incensed because their kids can't stream movies today or that they cannot process Amazon returns would get some perspective! 

[athena1277]

2 hours ago, Seasider too said:

Well my conspiracy minded fb acquaintances are reposting articles and tweets saying that ATT won the contract to audit Dominion voting machines and they’d just been delivered to that building in Nashville, so.... well there ya go. 
 

I have to say I much prefer your diversion-for-art-theft plot line. 

I just heard someone mention the voting audit theory also.  Is it really a possibility?  I haven’t seen it from any reliable sources.  I hope it’s just a wacky conspiracy theory.

Oh, and our cell phones are slowly regaining service.  Dd17’s came back, a while later mine did, but my mom’s still hasn’t. And we all have the same phone in the same house.  Weird, but glad it’s coming back.

Edited December 26, 2020 by athena1277

[Ausmumof3]

It looks like they are investigating a house where the RV may have been seen previously.  Catching the perpetrator would probably go a long way toward setting people’s minds at rest.  

[Terabith]

 

[gardenmom5]

9 hours ago, teachermom2834 said:

The more I think about it the more it seems like an attempt to take down communications and 911. The outages are far reaching. Which is scary because it seems like a test or a dry run for something else? 

yep.  I've noticed few of the news stories even mention the AT&T transmission center being taken down - no wifi/etc in the area.  It's a transmission center, that's more damaging/long-term/widespread than just taking  out a cell-tower.  They focus on all the bars and restaurants that were closed in a normally bustling area.

 

they've found at least one body.

 

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Dh saw on FB that some people are excoriating AT&T for not having everything up and running yet. As if they haven't been working all through the night. As if they are not already doing everything they can.

Some people are idiots. 

Yes, some effects are much more important than others (911, cell service, Rx!)  and need to be prioritized. But I wish people who are incensed because their kids can't stream movies today or that they cannot process Amazon returns would get some perspective! 

When the Challenger blew up - people were calling up the TV stations complaining their favorite TV shows were being pre-empted.

Fahrenheit 451 is alive and well.

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

I've noticed few of the news stories even mention the AT&T transmission center being taken down - no wifi/etc in the area.

 

 

I've read several articles throughout the day (WaPo, NYT, Politico, AP, two or three more where I'm forgetting the source), and the loss of communication has been a central point of each one. I can't imagine that any legit news sources aren't mentioning it??

[StillStanding]

Compared to 911 not working (I know there is a new number we are supposed to use in case of an emergency, so that is good), and people not being able to get their prescriptions because of a lack of cash, this is not a biggie, but cash only in our small local market until AT@T is back online (cashier also mentioned they can't order new inventory). I am finding this act of terrorism a bit strange mostly because I would not expect Nashville to be a target... I have not seen many updates (maybe the news tonight will shine some light). 

Edited December 27, 2020 by StillStanding

[Danae]

4 hours ago, athena1277 said:

I just heard someone mention the voting audit theory also.  Is it really a possibility?  I haven’t seen it from any reliable sources.  I hope it’s just a wacky conspiracy theory.

Oh, and our cell phones are slowly regaining service.  Dd17’s came back, a while later mine did, but my mom’s still hasn’t. And we all have the same phone in the same house.  Weird, but glad it’s coming back.

No, it is not even remotely a possibility.  Elections are carried out and supervised by the individual states. Voting machine counts were checked against hand counts before the votes were certified. The suggestion that the federal government and/or some other party seize voting machines and examine them has been rejected by the courts at every level. 

[JennyD]

We're in Nashville but just catching up on the news tonight after a day off the grid.  We don't have wifi but our cellphones are working.

Everything about this is so weird.  But I guess this type of event usually is.  I was thinking earlier about how Ronald Reagan was shot by someone who wanted to get Jodie Foster's attention.  

[MooCow]

Edited 

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by MooCow

[ScoutTN]

Our wifi is back!

Ds jumped on the laptop to play Among Us with church friends within 3 minutes of the green light on our router coming on. 

I am glad it's back because almost all of the work I must accomplish this week requires internet. 

Dh said they've traced the RV vehicle to a home and that they think it was a suicide bomber. 

[fairfarmhand]

I'm back too, but I"m wondering if some people aren't because I"m not getting return texts from a lot of people.

[JennyD]

We're back online, too.  

My 10yo has become fixated on the facts that (1) our neighbors' RV has been gone for a few days; and (2) there was some kind of explosion-type sound a few days ago.  Our neighbors' RV, while admittedly white like the one in question, is a high-end model that doesn't really look like the one in the photo, and DH and I are fairly confident that the sound was a transformer blowing (a common occurrence around here), but DS is not letting this go.

 

[fairfarmhand]

They've named the culprit who died in the explosion. He lived in Antioch and they believed he acted alone. They're still exploring motives.

I saw the interviews with the officers who were there this morning. Almost all of them got choked up at how close it was. 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by fairfarmhand

[mom2scouts]

I seriously think this was a suicide. He parked the RV in downtown on Christmas morning, a time when few people would be out, and then broadcast a warning that there was a bomb and anyone nearby should evacuate? That sounds like he only wanted to kill himself. He was in IT, so maybe there was something with the AT&T building or maybe that's just the downtown spot he picked. There weren't any gunshots, neighbors said the dogs died years ago, and he "sold" his house to a woman for $0. News is also reporting that, between the warning announcements, the RV was broadcasting the song "Downtown". These are some of the lyrics:

When you're alone
And life is making you lonely
You can always go
Down town.

When you've got worries
All the noise and the hurry
Seems to hurt, I know.
Down town.

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty.
How can you lose?

The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

And go down town.
Things will be great when you're
Down town.
No finer place for sure,
Down town.
Everything's waiting for you.

Don't hang around
And let your problems surround you,
There are movie shows
Down town.

[ScoutTN]

AT &T says it has 75% or more back up. 

[TravelingChris]

There was someone today in a white box truck parked at a convience store in TN who had loudspeakers playing similar (or maybe the same) music and police closed down a stretch of highway and evacuated people, etc. They detained the man for questioned.  They have reopened the highway.

As to the actual bomber-  he didn't sell the houses to anyone- in TN, apparently, you can turn over a title to someone without their knowledge.  At least the woman who would talk to the press said had known nothing about the transfer of ownership to her.  She got so much attention that she quickly deleted her Facebook account.  The other woman has not talked to the press at all . Both have been interviewed by FBI>

 

But as to answers as to why, I have a feeling this will be like the Las Vegas shooter where the FBI never tells us anything.  And the wonder why so many people are increasingly become conspiracy nuts.   Then add Jeffrey Weiner's weird death and some other things and yeah, people become all involved in conspiracy theories.

I really don't know how much we can find out about some of these people---this guy had no social media accounts, so  far no one knew anything about any nutty theories he had,  etc.  It will be interesting to find out how this guy managed to build such a large bomb.  But there is at least one news report that someone alerted the FBI about this guy earlier this month.  (and that would be nothing new there either- the FBI was notified I believe at least 2 times about that school shooter in Florida before he did the shooting, and I know there was another case that also had the FBI alerted where afterwards a horrible crime happened in the last few years too- just can't remember which one)>

[Pawz4me]

6 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

It will be interesting to find out how this guy managed to build such a large bomb.

I don't know anything about explosives or bombs, but I'm wondering if he somehow incorporated the RV's propane tank.

[Clemsondana]

In Knoxville yesterday evening cell service for some is still erratic - we had to text a couple of people in the same family before somebody got it.  

Edited to add:  Knoxville-area emergency services posted at 9:45 today saying that 911 is now restored.  

Edited December 28, 2020 by Clemsondana