Montana Officials Dismiss ‘Explosion’ Rumor After Viral Video Sets Internet Abuzz

A viral video shows what appears to be an explosion rocking the skies over southeastern Montana.

The video, posted to Twitter by Billings, Montana, resident Dolly Moore, shows the aftermath of the explosion. A large smoke trail can be seen falling downward across the sky. Officials in the state have denied reports of an explosion, but the video has garnered more than 2 million views on Twitter in a little over four hours. In an interview with The Daily Wire, Mrs. Moore said she began recording when she saw a plane, then an explosion.

“I just started snapping pictures with my phone when I saw the plane fly over,” Moore told The Daily Wire over the phone. “It shook my office window.”

Officials have denied reports of an explosion, however. “We are aware of the video shared on Twitter and claims of a ‘massive explosion’ over Billings,” the city of Billings tweeted Friday night. “However, our PD, Fire & airport have NOT been called to any incidents related to this video and there haven’t been any plane crashes picked up on radar.”

Moore said that she saw the plane fly over her house. She then ran to her office window and began filming. Shortly afterward, she says she saw a large explosion. She then began recording. In the video, an object descends from the sky very slowly, while a large, long smoke trail follows behind.

WATCH:

Ok, so here’s what I just caught I few minutes ago out my window. I saw a jet go by so fast and then explosion in the sky. Holy crap! Billings MT. pic.twitter.com/swr8ERC6pf

— Dolly Moore (@MMtTreasures) February 4, 2023

Moore said the object moved slowly down, like nothing she had ever seen. “I remember in middle school when I saw the [Space Shuttle] Challenger explosion,” she said. “Debris went everywhere. This was not like that. There was one big object, like a mushroom in the sky, but very slowly coming down.”

“You know when you see a plane crash on TV and it’s all going very fast? This was not like that,” she added.

She also reported seeing jet fighters flying over her home two nights earlier. She also reported seeing Blackhawk helicopters flying over the area. As of 10:58 p.m. EST Friday night, the aircraft flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows one Blackhawk helicopter flying around Billings.

“We have confirmed with @MontanaDES & @GovGianforte that there have not been any explosions in, around, or across #Montana,” the city added. “They are aware of the video and it can not be substantiated.”

Furthermore, Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder told local news outlet KULR 8 that he was trying to verify the video. He was not able to contact Mrs. Moore and did not receive complaints from other witnesses.

But Montana Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale expressed concern about the reports. “I am genuinely concerned with the lack of transparency about the original Chinese Spy balloon and potential unexplained explosion above Billings,” he tweeted. “I have reached out to the Commanding Officer at Malmstrom Air Force base for details.”

Mrs. Moore told The Daily Wire that the video is legitimate. “We have no reason to make this up,” Mrs. Moore and her husband both said over the phone. “We’re not techies, we don’t know how to do that.”

It is not known whether this event has anything to do with the suspected Chinese spy balloon seen over Montana on Thursday. Officials said that the balloon had moved and was over the state of Kansas Friday afternoon.