Car explosion rocks New Jersey suburb. What we know
A neighborhood in New Jersey was shaken awake on the morning of July 13 when a car explodesTotowa Mayor John Coiro confirmed to USA TODAY.
The explosion occurred around 5:30 a.m. in a gated community in Totowa. The county is approximately 15 miles north of Newark.
Here’s what we know about the explosion that shook the New Jersey area in the early morning hours.
On July 13, a car explosion in Totowa, New Jersey scattered debris across a residential street and damaged nearby homes.
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Multiple agencies investigated the incident, including Totowa police and fire departments, the Passaic County bomb squad, the Passaic County prosecutor and the sheriff’s department, according to Coiro. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI assisted local authorities.
“Early on in the investigation, it was clear that there was no bomb or any malicious activity here,” Coiro said.
According to ABC 7 and CBS News, The vehicle belonged to a plumber.Authorities believe the fire may have started from a leaking acetylene tank in the trunk. Acetylene, a high-density fuel and chemical building block used in metalworking such as welding, cutting and brazing, is extremely flammable under pressure. Princeton University Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
“A resident got into his vehicle, turned the ignition on, and the car exploded,” Coiro told CBS News. “He’s a plumber and he had an acetylene tank in his trunk, so we’re not sure if that was what caused the explosion in the first place.”
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The explosion rendered the vehicle unusable
In the images obtained by USA TODAY, it can be seen that most of the vehicle was completely destroyed. Debris from the explosion was scattered across the street, while the explosion also knocked down a nearby fence.
Speaking to USA TODAY, Coiro said that the driver of the vehicle was able to walk home after the explosion and was taken to the hospital for examination. The mayor said the unidentified resident will spend the night under observation at the hospital.
“It looks like he’s got some bleeding in his ears but nothing else,” Coiro said. “He’s lucky.”
A Passaic County Sheriff’s vehicle responds to a scene during an investigation Monday, July 13, 2026, at Hickory Hill, a private gated community in Totowa, New Jersey.
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Mayor: ‘Some kind of miracle’
Coiro said that apart from the injuries sustained by the driver, no one was injured as a result of the explosion. However, debris affected nearby homes.
“Other residents affected by the explosion due to flying car parts and damage to their homes were allowed to return because their homes appeared safe,” Coiro said, adding that the vehicle and all the debris inside were removed from the scene. he said.
Sheldon Blaine, a neighbor, told local media outlet News 12 that the explosion occurred. threw debris into his house. “It exploded in our house,” Blaine said. “Close our doors, our windows are all blown out.”
Another resident told News 12 her home was shaken even though she was a few blocks away from the scene. “The house shook. There was an explosion,” said neighbor Pete Rizzuto. “The house shook and we’re two and a half, three blocks away from it.”
Coiro said the limited impact of the explosion was “kind of a miracle.”
Amanda Wallace of the Bergen Record, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Car boom rocks suburban New Jersey. What do we know?
