Loud bang shakes houses in NE D.C. Someone apparently tossed a backpack, and a loud blast was heard in a Northeast Washington neighborhood Sunday night. But police said it was only fireworks. There was "no explosion," said D.C. police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump. The "noise was fireworks." It occurred about 7 p.m. in the rear of the 300 block of L Street NE, behind a row of attached houses. There was no immediate report of damage or injury, but the noise was apparently loud enough to prompt a large-scale response from the police and fire departments. The street was closed off. "It shook my house," said Alma Belle, who lives in the area. "I said "what in the world was that?"" She said neighbors told her that the sound came after what appeared to be a backpack was tossed into the alley area behind the houses. According to one account, she said, the bag had been tossed aside by someone who had been running through the alley. Police and fire officials could not immediately confirm the account. However, Crump said "there was a male seen running away." She said police were interviewing someone Sunday night in connection with the matter.