Explosion investigation comes up empty

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) -- While authorities still do not know the source, residents are sticking to their story saying they heard a large explosion coming from Narragansett Bay Monday night.

Reports of the phantom boom kept crews busy in both Barrington and Warwick after residents reported hearing the strange disruption around 11:30 p.m.

“I was downstairs in my basement, I have small windows, and I was able to see a flash of light and it was basically the biggest explosion I’ve ever heard in my whole life,” said Mark Etheridge, an eyewitness who lives near Narragansett Bay in Barrington.

"It shook the windows and made my neighbors alert too. The only way to describe it was like a single loud 'boom' noise that sounded somewhat like an explosion," said an Eyewitness News viewer via ReportIt.

• When you see it happen - ReportIt

"I thought it was the loudest thunder in the world..we all were jousted but the humm. was scary," wrote Patti Cicerone on WPRI.com's Facebook page.

Several local police and fire departments investigated, even sending boats out on to the bay. But, nothing was ever found.

“I’ve heard a transformer blow, but this thing was ten times that. My whole house shook,” added Etheridge.

"I thought 'oh my God, it must have been a gas explosion, and somebody's house blew up," said Mary McKenna. "That's what it sounded like."

According to investigators, the source of the noise remains a mystery.