NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Dozens of businesses and homes were damaged by the Christmas Day bombing. Staff with Nashville Downtown Hostel says their next step focusing on the future,
The Nashville explosion sent several people running for their lives including guests at the Nashville Downtown Hostel.
Thankfully everyone made it out safely but the efforts to rebuild starts now.
It was the sounds of Christmas no one was expecting.
"We had guests they were woken from their sleep; so they were in their underwear, didn’t have shoes on, didn’t have jackets," said Ryan Oetting, manager of Nashville Downtown Hostel.
A bomb erupted from an RV sending a blast down Second Avenue North destroying buildings and cars in its path including Nashville Downtown Hostel.
The business sits on First Avenue North and the back of the building on second avenue took a direct hit from the explosion.
"The bomb destroyed that side of the building, set off our alarm system. Guests were woken up by the blast and the alarms and immediately evacuated the building," said Oetting.
Manager Ryan Oetting says this year has already been hard on the hospitality business.
The Hostel closed during the pandemic in March furloughing several employees, re-opening in July with revenue numbers down.
And now with the bombing Oetting says he doesn't know how long his workers will be without a job again.
"People have already had a lot of hardship and this had just kind of added in on top of that, so it’s challenging and heartbreaking."
And even through this heartbreak Oetting says there's hope.
"Hattie B’s and Edley’s Barbeque brought food for everybody over the weekend so we can at least keep them fed. People dropped off clothes a d underwear and socks."
The bombing may have knocked them down but together they'll get back up.
"It’s sad and scary but we’re also hopeful that we’ll be able to recover and hopefully be back in business in a few months."
Oetting says the significant damaged to the business was mostly caused by water from the alarm system. He says it may be weeks before employees and guests are allowed back in to receive their belongings.
