Thanks to all & to you Rocky, as you might have the answer that best relates, a single boom it was. The quick flash we saw the only thing that didn't remind me of the one fairly close re-entry I've seen.
The event was obviously a long time ago, but another thread reminded me of it & I realized what better place to ask, but here.
I got off work at a pizza place as a teenager and as I was about to get in my car to leave there was a big flash that lasted 2-3 seconds. This was about 10pm or so at night. I could see the shadow it made on the palm trees. Like it was daylight again for those few seconds. Looked up in time to see a fireball breaking into pieces streaking towards the south. Drive home and came inside to tell my dad and first thing he asks is if I heard a boom outside. I hadn’t noticed but I probably had my stereo blaring. Told him what I had seen. I still have a newspaper article about it somewhere. They projected that the fragments likely ended up south of Gila Bend. Which is on the Barry Goldwater Bombing Range so I don’t think they ever found the strewn field.
