Exclusive: Nashville explosion witness remembers chilling warning from the RV: 'A bomb is in this vehicle'
Adam Tamburin
A woman's voice warned downtown residents to evacuate before the Christmas morning explosion that rocked Nashville, according to witness who described hearing the chilling message before fleeing with her family.
Betsy Williams, who owns the Melting Pot building on Second Avenue, lived in a loft apartment on the third floor of the building near the center of the blast.
Williams said she left the area after she heard the recording play a countdown to the explosion.
At least three people were injured in the explosion, according to authorities. A police officer in the area, who was responding to reports of suspicious activity in the area, was knocked to the ground by the blast.
Police said the explosion came from an RV that was parked on Second Avenue, in the midst of a business and entertainment district. Police spokesman Don Aaron confirmed the warning came from the RV.
Williams said she awoke at about 4:30 a.m. Christmas morning after hearing what sounded like multiple rounds of loud, rapid-fire gunshots. Later, after more gunshots, Williams said she called 911.
Then, she said, she heard a repeated warning from the RV.
“Evacuate now. There is a bomb. A bomb is in this vehicle and will explode,” she remembers the recorded warning saying.
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Then, she said, the voice started a 15-minute countdown.
“Whoever did it did give fair warning,” Williams said.
Williams said she, her spouse and family left the lofts in their pajamas. She took her cat Mavis but left her valuables behind.
They headed to Nissan Stadium and waited. When they didn’t hear an explosion, they headed back. They were at Second Avenue and Broadway when she said they saw a fireball fly over an AT&T building on Second Avenue.
She saw the windows in her loft had been blown out. Through the broken windows, she saw her Christmas tree was still on inside.
Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and atamburin@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.