Car Explosion Rocks Gated North Jersey Neighborhood, Injures Man

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A man is injured, and several homes are damaged following a car explosion in an affluent Passaic County gated community, officials say.

On Monday, around 5:30 a.m., Totowa police were called to the Hickory Hill development on reports of an explosion.

Authorities learned that a 28-year-old man was inside a vehicle when it blew up. The man was able to exit the vehicle on his own and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Officials added that several homes in the immediate area suffered damage from the exploding car, but no other injuries were reported.

Investigators believe the blast was caused by a leaking acetylene cylinder — a highly flammable gas tank — that was in the trunk of the vehicle.

Several departments, including the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are investigating the incident.

No foul play is suspected at this time, and there is no known threat to the public, authorities added.