Did you hear it?

Possible late night explosion on Bay, readers react

Posted 12/4/12

At approximately 11:20 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, residents reported a loud, thunderous, noise.

Readers took to social media to report they heard the noise throughout RI and parts of MA, but the cause of the boom is still a mystery …

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Did you hear it?

Possible late night explosion on Bay, readers react

Posted

At approximately 11:20 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, residents of Warwick and Cranston reported a loud, thunderous, explosion-type noise. And as of 10:30 this morning, the source of the noise was still a mystery.

Readers took to social media to report they heard the noise in neighborhoods like Buttonwoods, Hoxsie, Conimicut, Lakewood, Edgewood, Warwick Neck, Gaspee and Governor Francis Farms. Other media outlets have since reported that the noise was heard as far as Somerset, MA.

noise on facebook

According to scanner reports, multiple calls flooded into local police departments, including those across the Bay in Barrington. Many were awoken by the noise, and some reported that it shook their homes.

Southern New England Alerts, a Twitter feed devoted to police and fire activity, said both Warwick and East Providence Marine crews were dispatched at around 12:30 a.m. to investigate a potential vessel in distress between Conimicut and Bullocks Point.

"@SNE_ALERTS: Warwick RI / East Providence RI marine task force activated for a vessel in distress between conimicut point and bullocks point."

Readers listening in on scanners said there were reports of a flash of light and loud noise over the Bay.

Then, about a half hour later:

"@SNE_ALERTS: Warwick Rhode Island marine task force activated for possible explosion on Narragansett Bay. Search related to earlier reports."

At around the same time, those in both Warwick and Cranston reported hearing a humming or droning noise coming from the Bay. One reader from Gaspee, who said the initial noise shook their home, said the humming was particularly prominent.

Others identified the droning noise as a type of distress signal or fog horn. Some said it was a tug boat. 

As of 1:20 a.m., residents said they could see boats searching the coastline.

At 1:27 a.m., this update:

"Marine task force is deactivated on Narragansett Bay RI, source of explosion described as shaking houses is unfounded."

As of 1:28 a.m., crews were cleared to return to shore by the Coast Guard. 

Without an official explanation, readers came up with their own ideas for what might have caused the sound. Here are some of the most colorful (and clean) answers:

aliens?

And perhaps our favorite:

Yes, aliens


Please comment below with any additional information.

warwick, explosion, noise, narragansett bay

Comments

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  • jeanine_oconnell

    Unfounded? Definitely not. I and my entire street felt it. some were woken up by it. I also heard a VERY loud mechanical noise and what sounded like a distress call. The police and ABC6 news were on the point - so something happened.

    Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Report this

  • FASTFREDWARD4

    i was also up heard it all on my police radio and also in my home. Could have been the king turning in the water. just hope nothing come,s of it. and everbody is safe. Thank-you

    Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Report this

  • bizworldusa

    I was also up heard it all on my police radio and also in my home. Could have been the king turning in the water. just hope nothing come,s of it. and everbody is safe.

    Regards

    Bizworldusa

    Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Report this

  • ALutonian

    At exactly 05.13 am here in Luton 31 miles North of London England, both myself and my partner heard an explosion on Tuesday 4th December. On arriving at work (office in Luton town Centre with panoramic views) at 05.45am I asked my work colleague if he heard any strange sounds and he confirmed that he had heard an explosion around 05.15 am. He explained that he could not determine the cause having scoured the area from the windows. I had done the same but to no avail. No reports via media have been made in relation to others hearing an explosion in either the Luton area or any other part of the country yet three of us Luton residents did hear an explosion! 05.13am here in England would have been 00.13am your local New York City area time, and taking into account both events occured thousands of miles apart and about an hour apart, I wonder if these explosion sounds are linked? Those folk in Narragansett Bay heard it and a few folk in Luton here in England heard an explosion sound too! Vert strange.

    Thursday, December 6, 2012 Report this

  • allent

    union shenanigans?

    Sunday, September 8, 2013 Report this