Firefighters are currently handling a strong explosion that took place at a building in Palm Springs on late Saturday morning – and suspicions of terrorism are being considered by investigators.
The incident happened just before 11 a.m. at the American Reproductive Centers located on North Indian Canyon Drive, close to East Tachevah Drive, and its impact was felt up to two miles away.
‘Everything is in question—whether this is an act of terrorism,’ Lt. William Hutchinson told The Desert Sun from the scene.
Numerous eyewitnesses mentioned hearing a loud noise, and videos circulating on social media vividly exhibit how the explosion blew out windows of a nearby liquor store.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the explosion was accidental or intentional, but Hutchinson said there appears to be at least one fatality.
Graphic images from the scene seem to show charred human remains.
The mayor, Ron deHarte, said there were still structures on fire in the area.
NBC Palm Springs has described the incident as a ‘car explosion,’ though officials have yet to confirm the cause or release additional details.
Palm Springs Police and Fire are urging residents to avoid the area so emergency crews can manage the scene. Emergency vehicles were still arriving as of noon.
The explosion occurred near—but not on—the grounds of Palm Springs’ main hospital, Desert Regional Medical Center, according to a hospital spokesperson.
American Reproductive Centers offers fertility treatments but does not perform abortions.
According to its website, the building houses the Coachella Valley’s first and only full-service fertility clinic and in vitro fertilization lab.
Opened in 2006, the center offers a comprehensive range of fertility services, including IVF, egg donation, genetic testing, egg freezing, fertility evaluations for both men and women, intrauterine insemination, LGBTQ family planning, and surrogacy support.
Palm Springs resident Tamara Cash was out jogging just a few blocks away when the explosion rocked the American Reproductive Centers on Indian Canyon Drive.
‘It was so loud it shook me,’ she told the Desert Sun.
Cash ran past the smoldering building moments later and saw that every window in sight had been blown out—including some at nearby Desert Regional Medical Center.
‘All I could hear was alarms going off in different buildings,’ she added.
Matt Spencer told the Desert Sun he was at home in his apartment just 200 yards away when the explosion rocked Palm Springs Saturday morning.
Within minutes, he walked over to the American Reproductive Center and was stunned by the destruction.
The blast had hurled the front of the building across the street into the Desert Regional parking lot, he said, and a vehicle’s rear axle was still burning behind the facility.
What he saw next was even more disturbing—what looked like body parts and debris scattered across both Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon drives.
Claudio Chavez was inside the upholstery shop where he works when the blast hit, shattering the windows of the store.
“I was just in my shop waiting for clients, and all of a sudden it felt like a big explosion,” he told the NY Times. “It took out our window. I just saw a bunch of smoke.”
As thick plumes rose into the air, Chavez said people poured out of nearby homes and businesses to see what had happened.
A logistics manager at the shop, he immediately began clearing debris and sweeping up shattered glass.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
