JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News is digging into the cause behind the explosions heard Wednesday and Thursday in downtown Jacksonville.
Action News obtained a video from Wednesday's explosion near the Fuller Warren Bridge. We learned these explosions are part of stress tests being done on the bridge.
A crew member told us they were conducting stress tests on the bridge ahead of possible lane expansions.
Charlie Grapetine is retired, and like most nights, he spent a few hours Thursday night fishing behind his apartment right on the St. Johns River with a couple of neighbors.
Grapetine took Action News to his neighbors to hear their story about a loud, frightening explosion we kept hearing about all night.
"I heard a horn go off and then somebody say, 'Fire in the hole,' ... kaboom," said Bobby Jones.
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"When I heard it, I just dropped because I thought a tractor-trailer blew up on the bridge or something," said Grapetine.
"Dropped the pole, turned around and see if they shooting at us. I said, 'It's a drive-by y'all,'" Jones said.
"The smoke went up a good 100 feet in the air," said Grapetine.
We showed the cellphone video from yesterday's test to Grapetine and Jones.
Action News also gave these neighbors a heads up that crews will be conducting another stress test next week.
"Give us a wake-up call before they wake us up," Jones said.
Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Ron Tittle said the contractor did not tell FDOT about the testing that was done Tuesday and Wednesday. When FDOT found out, Tittle said, the contractors apologized for not telling FDOT, but did notify them about Thursday's testing.
FDOT said Archer Western is the contractor for the project and the test is called the Statnamic Load Test.
Tittle said FDOT should have notified the media so the media could notify the public, and will do so next time. They did not expect the explosions to be so loud. FDOT did notify nearby hospitals and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office about the testing.
FDOT is looking at expanding the Fuller Warren in the future, but not immediately, Tittle said.
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