TN - RV Explosion, Nashville, 25 Dec 2020 #2

This type of hazardous material sign is not unusual for network and data centers. Generally, the warnings are related to power systems, particularly fo large DC power plants utilizing sizable battery plants, and fire suppression systems. IMO, the site has been combed through for evidence and if there's anything to this it will be part of the investigation.

 

Yes, I know how they work. AQW served as Power of Attorney for his brother when his brother was incapacitated. AQW transferred the brother's property to himself to avoid the proper transfer when the brother died. When you serve as Power of Attorney for an incapacitated person, you are not allowed to transfer that person's assets to yourself. As demonstrated by AQW's mother in the lawsuit that she filed, it was a fraudulent transfer. It was intended to avoid the outcome that should have, and did eventually, happen: property transfers from brother to mother via the laws of intestate succession.

If AQW's brother wanted to transfer his property to MS, AQW COULD HAVE done that properly while Power of Attorney on behalf of his brother. It would have been in accordance with the wishes of the incapacitated person. The only person a POA cannot transfer property to is himself. And that's what AQW did. And according to his own mother, in publicly filed documents, it was to enrich himself. Not fulfill the brother's deep wishes to transfer property to MS. It was to steal the house from the mother.

If there was literally any evidence at all that the brother wanted to transfer the property to MS, it would have been produced in the lawsuit by the mother against AQW to prove that the transfer was fulfilling the brother's wishes before he died. But they didn't do that. AQW did not argue that. MS did not argue that. MS transferred the property to AQW mother and said publicly that she had no idea why he did it.

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one.

 

I don't think picking a random child of an acquaintance that he had no connection to for over 40 years qualifies as a simple explanation. You're right that we have no evidence that AQW's motivation for the initial transfer of the property wasn't pure greed to enrich himself. But I think the fact that he gifted 2 houses to MS indicates there is some kind of connection and based on publicly available information I think the connection is more likely to be through the brother.

 

It was reported that AQW told his attorney that SW was his friend's daughter. We don't know how the two met and why they kept in touch. Perhaps they had a common interest. Question is, does SW know anything at all that could help explain AQW's motive?

 

One thing that is very surprising to me about this case is how little new information has come out since a week or so after the bombing. Granted, we've had some more interesting national news to occupy reporters' time but still, no news?

 

The diamond placard is communicating that there are chemicals inside that are an extreme danger to human health (blue section), have a flashpoint under 73F (red section), and may be unstable if heated (yellow). The white section with a W with line through it indicates water should not be used for fire fighting. Given that we know it was a data center/transmission switchyard this makes perfect sense. They likely had backup generators fueled by natural gas or propane which would have the right flashpoint. And with all the power they likely had, you wouldn't want a firefighterr spraying water and possibly electrocuting the entire block.

 

This is good information, and much appreciated. I don't understand, though, why a fire suppression system would need to include materials that "will vaporize and readily burn at normal temperatures" and "react violently or explosively with water."
To be honest, seeing a sign like this posted in a residential area or even in the vicinity of any downtown area doesn't seem like 'standard protocol'.
Considering the increasing civil unrest in America, how far fetched is it, really, to think that (what is supposed to be) a warning, could actually be viewed as an opportunity for a knowledgeable, yet disturbed individual?

 

There is definitely a balance to be struck. Every tanker car you see on a train going by or being moved by truck has a placard telling exactly what chemical it is carrying that anyone can easily look up on an app on their phone. So bad guys can just watch traffic and look things up then steal a truck. The amount of stuff moved every day with minimal security would scare the average person!

As for fire suppression systems that "include materials that "will vaporize and readily burn at normal temperatures" and "react violently or explosively with water."" I don't think that is the case. The NFPA diamond alerts firefighters about hazards of various type in the building. It could be that natural gas fueling generators is the material that will vaporize and readily burn at normal temperature while they may have potentially had other chemicals that constituted other hazards.

It should be noted that if we were required to post these on our houses most of us would have most of the hazards present. Got pesticides? You have poisons present. Rubbing alcohol, propane, or natural gas service...you get the same flashpoint rating. The truth is most responsible businesses are very proactive about minimizing hazards. Homes can be far more dangerous.

When you said all the elements for the bomb were already in the AT&T building I agree with you. But that is not at all unusual. I'd be willing to bet they had several backup generators running on natural gas (to avoid storing large amounts of deisel fuel which would be potentially more dangerous). The natural gas was explosive and if AQW was familiar with the location of the natural gas supply he could have detonated his bomb over the gas mains to increase damage.

 

I agree that someone that is knowledgeable of hazmat signs and why they are at a particular location can exploit that information. As KonaHonu more clearly defined the details of the sign, my guess is the risk to life is associated to power related equipment and fire suppression, which some types remove oxygen from the space to extinguish a fire. Most of the danger would be from the power systems. In the case of this site, I'm pretty sure the on site generators were natural gas powered.

IMO, AQW had good knowledge of where to park to inflict the most damage to the technology possible. There seem to be mixed reports about either he and/or his father having worked for SCB or ATT. Even if he did not work for them, for an IT professional working in Nashville, he likely had some knowledge of the significance of the building.

 

These days places like that are highly secure but that has not always been the case. AQW's father worked for that company for a long time. I think there is a very good chance that AQW was inside that building many times and was somewhat familiar with the layout. Now, the layout has probably changed dramatically in the last 25-30 years but basic infrastructure like generators and power supply lines probably are where they were 50 years ago.

I'm about 80% convinced he targeted AT&T but I am not ready to take a stand on why. I've seen speculation ranging from 5G to something related to his father's employment or pension to a billing dispute. But whatever his motivation was, I think he had some special knowledge of how to maximize his attack.

 

Is it just that I haven't been sleuthy enough, or has this investigation been rigged for silent running?

 

I've also found very little. I'm thinking the political situation in Washington has the FBI busy so the investigation is going slowly. I'd like to see more reporters working on the story though.

 

I do know that data processing centers use chemical fire suppression systems.

A lot of computer equipments in a data processing center operate on high voltage electricity.

If a high voltage computer equipment comes into contact with water, it can cause a deadly electrocution hazard.

On another note, I suspect that the Nashville explosion incident might cause companies to build or locate new data centers in suburban or rural areas rather than in city center or downtown areas.

 

Legal Experts Question Why Police Never Sought A Search Warrant After Warning About Nashville Bomber | WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio

But former federal prosecutor Steve Miller says police had more than enough evidence for a warrant. And officers had nothing to lose by at least trying to get one.

Miller says officers could have reached out to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, to check their databases for any purchases of bomb-making materials. A spokesperson for the ATF says the agency has no record of such a request.

Miller says they also could have followed up with the man’s girlfriend and other people who knew him, rather than trying to interview the suspect himself.

 

I find it really frustrating that I haven't seen any new information come out, at least in media. The latest article I could see is from 14 days ago. I understand that there are many other things that have happened in the US, but, as someone invested in this case, it's frustrating to not find any new information.

 

I think it’s just an example of our modern news era. I grew up in the 70s-80s when a news occurrence stayed on peoples minds and in their discussions for months on end but now things just seem to get dropped so fast.

 

Possibly news outlets decided not to provide training for other terrorists by explaining what this bomber did to manage that huge explosion -- after it was reported to LE that he was building bombs???

jmho ymmv lrr

 

You're probably right, sadly.

I could see that if they were withholding the details of how he built the bomb, but I'm surprised there hasn't been something more about his motivations or beliefs.

 

I felt the same way about the Las Vegas shooter case. After a few short weeks press coverage had pretty much ended. I was sure we’d learn more about the shooter and his motivations. Wrong! I don’t know if LE has answers they aren’t interested in sharing or if after learning very little they’ve moved on. Either way it’s the new normal when violent perps kill themselves during their crime.

If we hear much more on the Nashville bombing I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

MOO

 

I totally agree with you about the Las Vegas shooting. He killed SIXTY people for Christ’s sake! The fact that LE found absolutely nothing about his possible motive seems utterly impossible to me. You just don’t have that kinda bloodlust and hate inside of you and not tell anyone about it. I will never believe that.

In regards to this case —
To say that a lot has happened in the U.S. since the bombing is the understatement of the century. The insurrection in our Nation’s Capital that killed five and threatened our democracy is enough for me to give them a pass... FOR NOW.

With that said — I certainly hope the press and/or LE gives an update on the case when things start to normalize in the political world in the coming weeks.