NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was a terrifying Christmas morning before a mystery started unfolding in Nashville as investigators raced to find who was behind an RV explosion that destroyed more than 40 businesses and injured at least three people.
It came with a loud message that played over speakers, warning people to evacuate ahead of the blast at 6:30 a.m. this morning.
10News reporter Amelia Young spoke with people who lost their homes and businesses due to the blast.
Christmas morning was the break people had been looking for in a year full of tragedies, but it turned into just the opposite as devastation hit Nashville once more in 2020.
Malory Luciane was in the middle of it all.
"I saw my wall and my window come into my apartment and I just screamed and called 911," she said.
Her 2nd Avenue apartment was hit when the explosion when off.
"When you walked out it looked like a warzone," she said. "There were fires on the side of the street, debris all over. It was insane, glass all over the street."
She heard what sounded like gunshots around 5 a.m. It got to the point where she began to check on others. She said she texted her neighbor, asking if she was hearing the same thing.
One hour later, her apartment was gone.
"I haven't processed what is gone, what is here," she said. "I'm here so that's what I need."
Beside her apartment, dozens of businesses were gone too. One of those belonged to Peter Gibson — Pride and Glory Tattoo.
"Speechless really; I can't even explain it. It's heartbreaking really," he said, after finding out his shop was destroyed. "You don't really prepare for this or think something could happen right in front of your door."
Gibson wasn't there when it happened, but when he heard the news he came rushing for it. He said that the shop was his baby and that he poured countless amounts of effort into building it.
The explosion destroyed all his hard work.
"It's indescribable, just a lot of things going through my head right now," he said. "I'm just happy everyone is safe."
Both are still trying to grasp everything that happened.
"It's unreal. It's unexplainable. I normally have words for stuff but this is something new," said Gibson.
"It makes you thankful you're here," said Luciane.
They said that their next step was simply taking care of each other.
The FBI has set up tip lines and a $33,000 reward is being offered for information related to the explosion.