PITTSBURGH — Authorities are searching for a white pickup truck after an explosion in Lawrenceville and a possible explosion in the Hill District on Sunday night shook some residents’ homes and damaged a car.
City police said an improvised explosive device detonated in Lawrenceville shortly after 9 p.m. About 90 minutes later, a second explosion was reported in the Hill District.
No one was injured in the first explosion; police did not report any injuries and damage from the second incident.
In the Lawrenceville blast, police said an IED was thrown from a moving vehicle and struck a parked car. The bomb was under the parked car when it detonated.
Detectives are searching for a white pickup truck in connection with that explosion.
“It sounded like a Mack truck or a heavy truck hitting a pot hole,” said Michele Hills, who lives near the site of the explosion. “I saw the police cars out my window, but I thought there had just been a car accident. I didn’t even know until a friend texted me.”
On Monday, Pittsburgh police Cmdr. Jason Lando said the truck is described as an older style "boxy" two-toned truck, white on the top and possibly a sage green color on the bottom.
Public Safety officials also confirmed that police found nails on the street during their investigation.
One witness described the explosion as “not much, just a loud boom around 8:50 (p.m.), then sirens.”
Jill Boldin who lives on Penn Avenue, said she and her husband were watching "Homeland" on TV when the bomb went off and that it “seemed like part of the show at first.” Boldin also saw the police cars outside her window and assumed there had been a car accident.
About 90 minutes after the Lawrenceville explosion, around 10:30 p.m., police received a call for a second blast in the Hill District
The Bomb Squad responded with explosives sniffing dogs. Police said no evidence was recovered, but residents said they felt their homes shake and smelled an odor in the air.
Authorities were reviewing video footage from the area.
The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation. The investigators do not believe the two incidents are related.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding the pickup truck and the explosions to contact the Bureau of Police headquarters at 412-323-7800.
