Denver news

Did you hear that big bang last night? We did too, but no one can tell us what it was

We called up the police, the military and Xcel.
Molly Cruse
2 min. read
A close-up photo of a white man's ear. To its right, a purple question mark with the Denverite logo as the dot.
Do you hear what I hear? A bang, a bang high above Denver.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denveite

Denverites from Five Points to Centennial were startled awake overnight after a loud explosion echoed across parts of the metro.

Some residents speculated that the explosion could have been caused by a blown power transformer, while others suggested it was caused by a “UFO battle.”

“I think we can all agree the sound was aliens,” one resident commented on social media.

“Blucifer was seen over Ball Arena earlier tonight,” another commented.

We asked the police, the military and Xcel.

The Denver Police Department confirmed that their officers responded to reports of explosions but told CPR News that “all reports appear to be unfounded at this time.”

The department didn't confirm whether it would investigate further, or whether the sound was captured on its surveillance devices.

"It is possible this is a power related issue," a spokesperson suggested.

Denverite also reached out to Xcel Energy, which has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Well, what about a sonic boom? Officials at Buckley Space Force Base say they were not running any training exercises last night and had no involvement with the sound.

If we figure it out, we’ll let you know. And if you have any recordings or tips, hit our line.

Molly Cruse

Molly joined CPR as a News Fellow in 2023. Originally from England, Molly has called the U.S. home for over a decade.

Education:
Bachelor of science degree in environmental studies, Elon University; Master’s degree in journalism, University of Oregon.

Professional background:
Molly cut her teeth writing as an editorial intern for Earth Day Network, an environmental nonprofit based in Washington D.C. before deciding to pursue a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Oregon. As a graduate student, she worked as a freelance journalist, writing for various local magazines and weekly newspapers. Molly came to CPR after working as a multimedia field reporter for Capital Press, a regional newspaper based in the Pacific Northwest, covering stories on agriculture, rural communities, and the environment.

Outside of the newsroom, Molly can often be found exploring the Rockies one hike at a time with her 100lb, three-legged dog and sidekick, Winnie.

Awards:
Molly was awarded Most Outstanding Graduate Thesis from the faculty of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications for her master’s thesis project; a podcast that she wrote and produced, titled “On the Brink.”

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