What Was That??

So last night we are at home relaxing, watching a basketball game, while the kids are doing things around the house. Not quiet by any standard, especially with the game on. We heard a large boom and immediately jump up to check it out!! We go outside and there is nothing more, no visible signs, just the sound of the neighbor's horses running full bore in the dark. As I continue to listen, I hear them hit/bump a steel gate. Worried that one of them may have been hurt, I picked up the phone to call my neighbor.

Just then it rang. My MIL lives 1/2 mile down the road and she had heard it as well. DH took our vehicle and drove around the section to see if was something at any our neighbors. Thankfully we didn't see anything. I then called my next door neighbor to tell her about the horses, so she could check on them. She had heard it also but hadn't went outside.

We followed the news and checked the internet last night but saw nothing. This morning a friend called me and she told me what she had heard. Evidently there was an explosion at a nearby ethanol plant (approximately 20 miles from us). There is still nothing on the news, so no more details than hearsay. This happened one other time when there was an explosion about 45-50 miles away at a fertilizer plant. It made our doors and windows rattle! That is one loud explosion.

When something like that happens, it makes you really wander what is going on. No smoke, no fire, no additional noises (so it is not close by). It is amazing to me that it could be heard 20 -50 miles away (depending on the explosion). Praying that no one was seriously injured in the explosion. I still can't find anything else about it anywhere.