North Carolina Sheriff Solves Mystery of Black Smoke Rings Floating in Sky

Residents of Hendersonville, NC, claimed to see a bizarre sight the night of Sunday, June 29..

They reported seeing rings of black smoke floating in the sky, sparking curiosity and confusion.

People flocked to social media to post pictures and videos of the odd sight and sent photos to local news stations.

Facebook posts from the Hendersonville, NC, group speculated on the weird occurrence.  One user asked for insight, stating. “Mom was driving through Hendersonville today and is wondering what these odd smoke rings may have been caused by. Seeing if anyone has any insight.”

However, local law enforcement later reported that they had solved the mystery. Before they made that announcement, the theories varied. 

Some said that the rings were from tractors. Others claimed aliens as the culprit. A few comments mentioned diesel trucks. One person mentioned, “It was not a diesel truck. It was an Allegiant plane, about 30 of us pulled over on 26.”

The prevailing theory in the Facebook group appeared to be that the black smoke rings resulted from fireworks. However, some people claimed they watched the smoke rings appear and never saw any fireworks.

A comment on the Facebook group claimed ownership of the rings, stating that it was from a firebomb that their neighbor shot off.

Other residents chose to have fun with the sightings. One comment said, “The Jolly Green Giant was blowing smoke rings.” Another blamed the Wicked Witch of the West.

Videos on TikTok and other platforms show similar sightings from across the country. 

Local news station News 13 reported that it had received information from Hendersonville resident Monica Stancato, who sent in photos with this caption: "Seen this evening after loud booms; saw two planes circling, around 9p.m., what is this?"

However, the matter seems to have been put to rest by local law enforcement.

A spokesperson from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office told News 13, "A lot of those photos have been making the rounds on Facebook and TikTok, but the rings are just from certain fireworks...nothing to be concerned about.”

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