For a few confusing moments on Saturday afternoon, residents across parts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire were left wondering what had just happened.

Some described hearing a loud boom that echoed across the area. Others said their homes shook unexpectedly.

As reports began appearing on social media, people searched for answers. Was it an explosion? An earthquake? Some kind of aircraft incident?

The explanation turned out to be far more unusual. According to NASA, a meteor travelling at around 120,000 kilometres per hour entered Earth’s atmosphere and broke apart above the Massachusetts and New Hampshire border at 2.06pm local time on 30 May. The event produced a powerful shockwave that was heard across a wide area and startled residents on the ground.

Although dramatic, the space agency says the object posed no threat to the public.

Why so many people heard the blast

Most meteors burn up in the atmosphere without attracting much attention.

This one was large enough to produce what astronomers call a fireball, a particularly bright meteor that can generate a powerful shockwave when it fragments.

NASA estimates that the energy released when the object broke apart was equivalent to roughly 300 tonnes of TNT.

That figure helps explain why residents reported such a strong boom.

Across social media, people shared similar experiences. Some said windows rattled. Others reported feeling vibrations inside their homes. Several described being startled by the sudden noise, especially as there had been no obvious warning beforehand.

The event happened in daylight, making it even more surprising for many people who were simply going about their normal Saturday afternoon when the boom occurred.

While the sound caused concern, experts stress that the meteor disintegrated high in the atmosphere.

The noise heard on the ground came from the shockwave created when the object fragmented during its passage through the sky.

NASA says it was a natural meteor and not space debris

Following events like this, one of the first questions often concerns the object’s origin.

NASA quickly clarified that the fireball was a natural meteor. The agency also stated that it was not linked to any active meteor shower and was not caused by the re-entry of a satellite or other human made space debris.

That distinction is important because objects returning from orbit can sometimes create bright streaks across the sky and attract similar attention.

In this case, however, researchers concluded that the object was a naturally occurring piece of space rock entering Earth’s atmosphere.

The clarification helped answer speculation that had begun circulating online shortly after the boom was heard.

Why events like this remain relatively rare

Every day, Earth encounters material from space.

Most of it is tiny.In many cases, these objects are no larger than grains of dust and burn up harmlessly before anyone notices.

Larger meteors are far less common.

When they enter the atmosphere at high speed and begin to break apart, they can create spectacular fireballs visible across large areas. Under certain conditions, they can also generate shockwaves powerful enough to be heard many kilometres away.

That appears to be what happened over New England on Saturday.Scientists study these events because they provide valuable information about the objects moving through our solar system and how they behave when they encounter Earth’s atmosphere.

For residents who heard the blast, though, the scientific explanation came later.

At the time, many were simply trying to understand why a peaceful afternoon had suddenly been interrupted by a boom loud enough to shake houses and send people searching for answers.

Within a few hours, NASA had provided the explanation. The source was not on the ground at all.

It had travelled through space before ending its journey high above Massachusetts and New Hampshire in a brief but dramatic burst of light and energy.

Drivers on the Costa del Sol will have to prepare for much higher AP-7 toll charges starting Monday, June 1 as the special summer rates take effect.

Patricia Navarro, president of the Popular Party in Malaga, has described the adjustment as an “infernal price hike” and demanded action from the Spanish government.

Full journey costs increase

Users completing the full route from Fuengirola to Manilva will pay €19.55 instead of the previous €12 during the peak period.

Navarro warned that the Spanish government has already increased its toll revenue by 10 per cent, raising collections from €30 million to €35 million over just two years. She insists this extra money should return to Malaga province to offer discounts for regular AP-7 users rather than disappear elsewhere.

Political demands grow louder

Navarro criticised the current situation in which funds fail to support local needs such as improvements to the congested A-7 road or construction of a third lane between San Pedro Alcantara and Puerto Banus. She called on the government led by Sanchez to stop squeezing residents in this way especially now that the high tourist season begins.

Details at each toll booth

Drivers can expect the following prices for light vehicles at the main toll points along the Costa del Sol stretch of the AP-7. All figures include VAT and show the change from normal season to special summer rates.

Special summer rates will be in place for the whole of June, July, August and September. The full list of prices can be found at autopistsdelsol.com and includes commercial vehicles too.

Advice for regular users

People who travel the AP-7 often can reduce their costs through the Via-T electronic payment system. Discounts increase with the number of journeys completed each month and may even allow some loyal users to keep normal rates year-round.

All drivers should check their exact route costs in advance using the official Autopista del Sol calculator to avoid surprise charges at the booths.

Navarro repeated her call for the government to direct toll income towards practical help for Malaga residents instead of allowing the pressure on motorists to continue unchecked.

Anyone planning journeys between towns in the Costa del Sol area during the coming months needs to budget for these higher tolls or consider alternative routes where possible.

Motorists face this change every year with the arrival of peak tourist season, yet many still get caught out by the sudden jump. Regular commuters who use the road daily for work or family visits will notice the biggest impact on their budgets over the next four months. Families heading out for day trips or holidays along the coast should factor in the extra expense when planning travel between Fuengirola, Marbella, Estepona and further west to Manilva.

Flames reappeared in the upper floors of the Ibis Hotel in Malaga around 9.30am on Sunday. Visible smoke and occasional flames showed through windows in sections difficult for fire crews to reach internally. Firefighters previously focused efforts entirely on external operations using aerial ladders, pumps and water hoses to cool the structure and contain the activity within.

Thick smoke columns rose once more and became noticeable from several points across the city. This latest development occurred exactly seven days after the initial fire broke out in the same building.

The Ibis Hotel in Malaga is back on fire today. This is the fourth time the fire was supposedly put out, and then after a day or so, it started back up. We have been staying in Malaga the last week and it is crazy. pic.twitter.com/Yjx8M80Dlm

— Eddie Gray (@eddiegray) May 30, 2026

Firefighters continue external operations on site

Crews are continuing cooling tasks from both the front and rear of the building with support vehicles still deployed. One fire engine, one aerial ladder and one water tank remain in position at the Ibis Malaga Centro in Pasillo de Guimbarda next to the river. Hot spots can reactivate during ventilation efforts, yet the council states the incident is under control.

Operations have run without pause for six and a half days. Firefighters have accessed the roof to create additional ventilation routes that release accumulated heat and gases from ceilings and internal spaces. Smoke continues to exit as crews complete full extinguishing work.

Safety fencing encloses hotel and surroundings

Owners of the building have now installed complete perimeter fencing around the structure. This step prevents injury from falling debris and stops unauthorised access to the site. Pedestrian movement is blocked along the section of Pasillo de Guimbarda between Aurora and Trinidad bridges. Vehicles keep moving normally on Calle Cerrojo.

Malaga council confirmed these closures via its social media account. Measures form part of broader precautions to protect the public and the immediate area.

Original outbreak started in ground floor cafe

The blaze began a week ago on Monday, May 25 inside Le Grand Cafe on the lower level of the building. Fire spread quickly through the hotel above and caused extensive damage. No injuries were reported.

Material inside the building, high heat load and broken windows that allowed oxygen entry fuelled rapid spread and complicated initial extinguishing, although the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Plans had been in place to duplicate the size of the hotel by adding another 3 floors. Now, it appears that the whole structure is irretrievably damaged and will likely have to be demolished.

Council orders urgent structural protections

Urban planning technicians have been inspecting accessible parts of the building together with firefighters. They had already seen a partial collapse of the first-floor slab in the north section while the overall structure appeared stable in examined areas. South side access has been limited by debris, but the ground floor showed resistance. Exterior brickwork looked bulging with risk of pieces detaching and falling into the street.

Bomberos mantiene el operativo en el incendio registrado la madrugada del 25 de mayo en un edificio del Pasillo de Guimbarda, que está controlado y prácticamente extinguido. pic.twitter.com/Xafgacb3Fm

— Ciudad de Málaga (@malaga) May 27, 2026

Malaga council then instructed owner Anta Res Soli IEI, S.L. to carry out immediate actions under technical supervision. These include perimeter fencing, boarding up facade openings, debris removal and progressive propping of the south ground floor. Continuous surveillance must remain in place until full closure takes effect. The same company owns nearby Ibis Budget and Novotel Malaga Centro properties.

La propiedad del edificio de Pasillo de Guimbarda afectado por el incendio registrado la madrugada del 25 de mayo ha procedido al vallado perimetral del inmueble para impedir daños a terceros por caídas de material y el acceso de personas no autorizadas. pic.twitter.com/SmbPfnMhPl

— Ciudad de Málaga (@malaga) May 30, 2026

Council officials and the Malaga fire service continue monitoring the site while continued focus on prevention and cooling is carried out and until extinguishing work finishes completely.