A bomb went off in Nashville

A widespread internet outage was reported in Nashville hours after a massive explosion downtown.

AT&T internet and phone service was disrupted in the area about 12 p.m. Friday.

Users around the country reported disruptions in service but there was a concentration in the Nashville area and Middle Tennessee.

A handful of local police departments reported the outage was disrupting 911 access in their jurisdictions.

Mt. Juliet residents can temporarily call 615-406-5849 for police assistance. Social media is being monitored as well, the department said.

Murfreesboro residents can call 615-893-1311 until further notice.

La Vergne residents can call 615-892-0168 or 615-416-4592

Outage linked to explosion
The outages were reported several hours after an explosion in downtown Nashville that took place near an AT&T facility.

An AT&T spokesman confirmed the outage was linked to the explosion:

"Service for some customers in Nashville and the surrounding areas may be affected by damage to our facilities from the explosion this morning. We are in contact with law enforcement and working as quickly and safely as possible to restore service," said Jim Greer, an AT&T representative.