Gaza – CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was involved in something of a near-miss on Sunday when a nearby bomb went off as he reported live from Gaza.
The 45-year-old reporter was speaking into a CNN camera and describing the dire situation at nearby hospitals when a large, bright explosion shook the scene behind him causing the journalist to duck suddenly and proclaim, “Woah!”
Ever the professional, Cooper quickly gathered himself and finished his report on the staff and supply shortages at Gaza hospitals but not before stating:
“Well, that was a rather large explosion. It’s actually set off a number of car alarms. That was probably the largest explosion that we’ve heard.”
The explosion, which went off at around 7 pm EST, might not be the last one a CNN journalist faces in the coming days. As the Israel and Gaza conflict escalates, the network has announced it has sent two of its most recognizable anchors to the region to cover the battle. While Cooper will report from a heavily bombarded Gaza, Wolf Blitzer will be based in Jerusalem. Sunday constituted their first on-air exchange, and both men will hope future reports pass more peacefully.
You can see Anderson Cooper’s reaction to the bomb in the footage below: As one Twitter user later remarked, some form of protection may be in order for Anderson over the coming days:
Hey, #AndersonCooper you need to put a helmet on please, stay safe my friend stay safe, I’m worried about your safety over there!!
— Colleen Marie Lewis (@ColleenLewisKC) November 19, 2012