Anyone in the DC area hear those loud bangs about 15 mins ago?

[EarlG]

We were watching a movie at home when we heard what sounded like very loud thunder... except the weather here is clear. A minute or two later it came again, this time it sounded more distinct, like fireworks, except much lower in pitch and more powerful. Then we heard a bunch of fire truck sirens, then about five minutes later there were more booms, then nothing since then. Nothing on the news so far.

Anyone know what it was?

[bonito]

1. err.. not going to say it

but, I hope Kerry wins.

[Ready4Change]

2. I'm well outside DC. Heard nothing. Maybe transformers?

When those blow they let out a hell of a bang. Sometimes one blowing will transfer load to another, blowing it as well.

Or maybe they didn't fix the exploding manholes?

[Horse with no Name]

3. weird

transformers would only make one boom wouldn't they?:shrug:

[onehandle]

4. I'm not in DC, but know it well. What area? nt

[TrueAmerican]

5. Maybe Bush is doing that Republican/Corporation only Fireworks Displays

he's known for throwing on the taxpayers dime?

[EarlG]

6. I see Maryland beat Virginia today

Maybe it was something to do with that - fireworks probably. Must've been big ones though.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

7. cheney building another bunker, perhaps?

[soothsayer]

8. It was so scary! First we heard a military jet zoom by, and went

out to try to see it (long gone). Then we saw a plane coming down its usual flight path along the Potomac. Then a few minutes later, all those loud boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-booms! Then nothing but us scrambling around to find radios, switch channels, find the police scanner, and a few minutes later, more boom boom boom boom. We were MIGHTY creeped out about it, but our neighbors called the non-emergency police line and learned that it was fireworks at the Kennedy Center---kicking off some Chinese program. Later, WTOP said police were swamped with calls about all the booms and all the smoke (we didn't get any smoke).

I'm still shaken, even tho it was nothing. Weird coincidence with that military jet. And lots o'helicopter action today and tonight, too. Creepy.

[MountainLaurel]

9. It was fireworks

At the Kennedy Center's China festival. Scared the fuck out of us too: I thought someone had bombed the Russian Embassy (about 3/4 mile away).

From today's Washington Post Metro in Brief:

Explosions Rattle NW Area



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dozens of startled Washington residents called police and fire departments last night after loud and unexpected bangs and booms filled the air.

The racket appeared to be part of what was billed as a stunning fireworks display, put on for the opening of a festival at the Kennedy Center.

The festival, appropriately enough, celebrates the arts of China, the country credited with the discovery of gunpowder and fireworks.

The display, according to the Kennedy Center Web site, was created for the opening of the festival and was dubbed an "explosion event." It was to include such seldom-seen displays as flying dragons and a pyrotechnic tornado. Those who did not get to see it apparently heard it.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

10. Article in today's WP

Hundreds of Washington residents took cover in buildings, raced to outdoor balconies and made panicked calls to local police and fire departments Saturday night, unaware that the loud explosions they heard were from a fireworks display near the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The noise, which sounded like machine-gun fire to some and like bombs or cannonballs to others, could be heard as far away as upper Northwest Washington and Falls Church.

D.C. fire department dispatchers were deluged with calls from worried residents for more than an hour, spokesman Alan Etter said. "They couldn't count the number of calls," Etter said. "They were swamped."

District emergency officials, aware of the scheduled fireworks display, nonetheless sent out firetrucks as a precaution in response to the numerous reports of noise, smoke and haze, Etter said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/02/AR2005100201515.html?sub=AR