Nashville blast: Man responsible for Christmas Day bombing blew himself up

The RV is seen driving down a street before the explosion tore through a section of downtown Nashville early on Friday. Photo / Metro Nashville Police Department

The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion, and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said today.

Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner to the mysterious explosion, though officials said they still had not uncovered a motive for the bombing. Officials have received hundreds of tips and leads, but do not believe anyone else was responsible for the early morning explosion that damaged dozens of buildings.

Warner, 63, had experience with electronics and alarms, according to public records, and had worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor.

A vehicle on fire after an explosion in the area of Second and Commerce on Christmas Day in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo / AP

The attack, which damaged an AT&T building, has continued to wreak havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service.

It has been revealed that moments before it exploded into a fireball in Nashville's downtown district on Christmas day, the large RV was playing a song which police have described as eerie.

Police officer James Luellen was evacuating civilians from the area as the explosive-rigged RV blared an audio warning to nearby residents.

Nashville Police Officer Richard Luellen speaks at a news conference in Nashville. Luellen is one of six officers credited with evacuating people before the explosion. Photo / AP

But as he was helping people to safety, audio from the RV suddenly changed from a warning to blaring out Petula Clark's 1965 chart-topping song Downtown.

"The music started, and I notified over the [police radio] air to notify other officers," Officer Luellen said at a press briefing on Sunday.

"Then, after the song, it continued to go back to the announcement for a little while."

Luellen didn't immediately recognise the song but remembered enough of the lyrics to piece together what it was.

FBI and ATF agents search the home of Anthony Quinn Warner on Boxing Day in Nashville. Warner blew himself up in the blast which rocked downtown Nashville. Photo / AP

"What I remembered was, 'Downtown, where the lights shine bright'," he said.

"Later, the ATF agent I spoke to pulled it up, and … Downtown by Petula Clark was the specific song that was played."

At the completion of the recorded warning to evacuate the area, the RV exploded into a hail of shrapnel and flames, obliterating parts of nearby buildings and leaving three people injured.

- with AP