The mystery of the loud boom that reverberated through Blount County, Tennessee, remains unsolved despite the efforts of multiple local agencies. The sound, heard around 1:30 p.m. yesterday, prompted a flurry of phone calls and messages from concerned residents across Sevier, Cocke, and Knox counties to law enforcement and media outlets. The City of Alcoa’s spokesperson, Emily Assenmacher, confirmed that the noise was not electric-related, even as deputies patrolled the region for potential transformer issues, per WVLT News.
Simultaneous to the auditory phenomenon, more than a thousand locals experienced a power outage. However, according to Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp, as quoted by WVLT News, no injuries have been reported. Both the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Vulcan Materials have ruled out blasting as a cause, as neither was involved in such activities when the boom was logged. The area is not new to these events, with the late 2010s bearing witness to similar unexplained noises.
The official investigation has involved not just the Maryville Police but also the Blount County Sheriff’s Office and the Blount County 911 services, which have been inundated with calls about the boom. In addition, WBIR News reports that seismic activity has been ruled out with the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake maps showing no new tremors…