Residents in parts of New England on Saturday were left shaken after a huge sonic boom rocked the area, leaving many concerned about what was happening. Police departments reported multiple calls from anxious locals looking for answers.
“The explosion was heard and felt throughout New England, shaking homes and causing many people to be justifiably concerned,” said Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath.
“We have no reports of damage or injuries in Wrentham and haven’t heard of any injuries in the region.”
While the incident left many wondering if there had been an industrial explosion or terrorist incident, it turned out that the actual explanation for the phenomenon was a lot more benign. The culprit was in fact a bolide – a type of bright meteor that explodes in the atmosphere. While meteorological events of this nature are known to occur quite often, most of them are never seen or heard by most people because they happen out at sea or in remote areas.
Luckily, though, this particular incident – while scary – was ultimately harmless.
Annette L
I live in Central Massachusetts and it was so incredibly loud it sounded like a huge explosion and it shook the house. Absolutely crazy!
Charles R
Sonic booms were a common experience in the Central Part of Michigan, Midland for me, as a kin of the 1960s. Jet planes breading the sound barrier, probably from Wurtsmith AFB in the lake Huron Town of Oscoda. I do remember the windows rattling from them. Then they stopped at some point, probably got banned.