Car explosion in Totowa, N.J. sends debris flying into homes, across street

A car exploded in Totowa, New Jersey, launching debris into homes, yards and across a road on Monday morning.Mayor John Coiro said it happened just after 5 a.m. when the owner started the Audi on Congressional Lane.Miraculously, the person was able to get out and walk to his home. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to the mayor and neighbors. Video from Chopper 2 shows the destroyed car and debris scattered across the road. The fence next to the car was also damaged from the impact.  Community members told CBS News New York's Christine Sloan that pieces of the vehicle went into others' homes and ended up on rooftops. "While we were sleeping, we heard a huge explosion. A bang. We first didn't realize what it was; we thought it was maybe a car accident or something. When we looked outside the window, we saw there was a car that was totally demolished," said resident Sheldon Blaine. Coiro said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and bomb squad determined it was not a bomb that caused the explosion. Authorities said they believe the blast could have been the result of a leaking acetylene tank in the trunk. That kind of gas cylinder is used in welding and cutting. The mayor said the owner of the car is a plumber.A similar incident happened in 2024 in Queens when a parked car blew up. The explosion was attributed to pressurized cylinders inside the vehicle. The car owner said it was used to transport tools and equipment for his family's plumbing business.