TOTOWA, N.J. — A suburban New Jersey neighborhood was rocked early Monday when a vehicle exploded on a street in front of some townhomes, authorities said.
According to WCBS, the vehicle belonged to a plumber.
Authorities in Totowa said the explosion was likely caused by a leaking acetylene cylinder in the trunk, News12 New Jersey reported.
Acetylene is a high-intensity fuel and chemical building block used for metalworking, USA Today reported. It is extremely flammable under pressure, according to Princeton University’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
The driver of the vehicle managed to walk away and into his home, according to WCBS. The 28-year-old, whose name was not released, was taken to an area hospital as a precaution, according to the television station. His condition was unknown.
The explosion occurred around 5:30 a.m. ET in a gated community in Totowa, a borough located approximately 15 miles north of Newark, USA Today reported.
Car explodes with man inside this morning in Totowa.
— Tony Caputo (@TonyCaputo) July 13, 2026
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳’𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 on scene with bomb squad.
Explosion damages neighboring townhomes.
No word on injuries to man inside car at this time. @News12NJ @LaurenDue12 pic.twitter.com/9hKPBhcWSZ
Totowa Mayor John Coiro told the newspaper that “it was clear” that no bomb was present and that no foul play was suspected.
The car was in pieces along the street, and the impact of the explosion damaged nearby fences, WNBC reported. Another vehicle in the vicinity had its front windows broken, according to the television station.
“When we looked out of the window, we saw, well, what was left of the car,” neighbor Sheldon Blaine told News12 New Jersey. “His wife came out and said her husband was in the car and was able to make it out.”
“I am, like, a heavy sleeper, and my mom literally woke me up and said a car exploded in our neighborhood,” resident Tasneem Tatar told WCBS.
“The house shook. It was an explosion,” another neighbor, Pete Rizzuto, told News12 New Jersey. “The house shook and we’re two-and-a-half, three blocks away from that.”
One person injured, nearby home damaged after car explodes in Totowa https://t.co/f7lJQpV837 pic.twitter.com/DEWJ46uJz3
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) July 14, 2026
Coiro told USA Today that the limited fallout from the explosion and the driver’s escape is “somewhat of a miracle.”
“It appears that he has some bleeding in his ears, but not much else,” Coiro said. “He is lucky.”
“I was like, how did the guy get out of the car and survive?” Tatar told WCBS.
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