Meteor Causes Double Boom and Shakes in New England

Residents across New England reported an unexpected explosion on Saturday afternoon, prompting a flurry of activity as police and other agencies tried to determine the cause. According to the American Meteor Society, the double booms that shook buildings in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island were traced back to a meteor. This meteor, approximately 3 feet wide, entered the atmosphere near the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, just north of Boston, around 2:30 p.m.

Robert Lunsford, a fire program monitor with the society, noted that there were numerous reports from locations ranging from Delaware to Montreal. People described hearing the booms, feeling the ground tremble, or witnessing a fireball in the sky. Lunsford described the meteor as larger than typical fireballs, akin to a shooting star visible in daylight. Although the meteor caused significant disturbance, Lunsford suggested it was unlikely to have impacted the ground. He indicated a need for more data on its trajectory and speed to confirm any ground impact. However, he noted that it would likely have burned up or landed in the ocean, as most do.

Many across a few states shared experiences on social media of buildings shaking. Videos on the X platform captured the sound of two quick booms, yet there were no signs of fire, smoke, or any visual source. Several individuals also reported the incident to the U.S. Geological Survey, who logged the data with the National Earthquake Information Center. Despite opening an event page due to the volume of “Did you feel it?” submissions, spokesman Steve Sobie confirmed that their seismographs did not register an earthquake—indicating the shaking was not caused by seismic activity.