Officials in the US state of Tennessee believe that a Christmas morning explosion in downtown Nashville was an intentional act, CNN quoted a Metro Nashville Police spokesman as saying.

In a brief news conference Friday morning, spokesman Don Aaron said the department’s hazardous devices unit was headed downtown in response to a call about a suspicious vehicle when there was a “significant” explosion linked to that vehicle around 6:30 a.m. CT.

“We do believe that the explosion was an intentional act,” Aaron said.

Three people have been transported to hospitals form the scene, but none are in critical condition, according to Nashville Fire spokesman Joseph Pleasant.

The incident is under investigation by multiple agencies, both local and federal, including the FBI and the ATF, Aaron said. Police and Tennessee Highway Patrol are conducting a shutdown of the area for the investigation. Access from the interstate through the immediate area will be restricted, he said.

Source: CNN