A car exploded in the early morning in Charleston, shutting down the street and closing a nearby school.
Police said they don't believe the explosion was an accident and characterized it as "suspicious."
The car, a Ford Mustang, exploded in front of 850 Woodward Drive, a Kanawha County Metro 911 dispatcher said. No one was hurt in the explosion, which happened around 4:40 a.m., the dispatcher said.
Woodward Drive was closed in the area of the explosion. Grandview Elementary School, at 959 Woodward Drive, was closed for the day by county school officials.
Several agencies responded to the incident, including the Charleston police and fire departments and the Kanawha Sheriff's bomb squad.
Hours after the explosion, police on the scene pointed to one house, across from the car, and said the owner wouldn't comment because he feared "retaliation."
Other neighbors said they heard a loud boom. One man said he walked outside with a flashlight to make sure no one was inside the vehicle. One said the noise was heard at least two miles down the road. Some said their windows were cracked or broken by the noise.
Lt. Steve Cooper, chief of detectives for the Charleston Police Department, referred questions to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and directed a reporter toward another man at the scene for comment. The man, who identified himself as an FBI agent, directed questions to the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office. Kanawha County Sheriff John Rutherford said the case belongs to the Charleston Police Department.
"We're here to help," the sheriff said.
Rutherford would not rule out the possibility of a bomb. He said the investigation would take time.
"We'll probably be here most of the day, to be honest with you," he said.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.