BOSTON — A meteor exploded off the Massachusetts coast on Saturday afternoon, triggering a loud boom that was heard across the Boston area and parts of New England, according to meteorologists and local media reports.
Residents across eastern Massachusetts, including communities in and around Boston, reported hearing a powerful explosion-like sound shortly after 2 p.m. local time. Some residents also said their homes shook, prompting concerns about a possible earthquake or industrial incident. Authorities reported no immediate evidence of damage or injuries.
WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Eric Fisher said satellite data indicated that a meteor entered Earth's atmosphere near the South Shore east of Boston. CBS Boston reported that the object exploded over the coast, producing the boom heard across the region. Details about the meteor's size and altitude remained unclear as of Saturday evening.
Local television stations said newsrooms received dozens of reports from residents describing a sudden blast. Witnesses from communities stretching from the Boston metropolitan area to northeastern Massachusetts said the sound resembled an explosion or sonic boom.
“There was a very large flash detected that does not correlate with active thunderstorms in the area,” spaceflight meteorologist Nick Stewart wrote on social media, citing data from the GOES-19 weather satellite. Stewart said satellite imagery suggested a bolide, an exceptionally bright meteor that explodes in the atmosphere, was the likely source of the event.
WCVB-TV reported that viewers from multiple Massachusetts communities contacted the station after hearing the noise. Some described windows rattling and houses shaking. The station said it contacted state officials seeking additional information.
The U.S. Geological Survey did not report any earthquake activity in Massachusetts at the time of the incident. Local media also reported no confirmed explosions, fires, or other emergencies linked to the boom.
Reports of the sound extended beyond Boston. Boston 25 News said residents in parts of Rhode Island and New Hampshire also reported hearing the blast. Police and fire departments in several communities acknowledged receiving inquiries from residents but said the cause was still being reviewed.
Bolides occasionally produce sonic booms when they break apart in Earth's atmosphere. Similar events in recent years have generated loud sounds and vibrations that were initially mistaken for earthquakes or explosions, according to meteorologists.
As of late Saturday, officials had not announced any recovery efforts for meteor fragments, and no public safety threats had been identified. Authorities and meteorologists continued reviewing satellite and observational data to better determine the meteor's trajectory and characteristics.
