A house in North Plainfield exploded late Monday after flooding hit the area. No injuries were reported.
Police say the house on Parkview Avenue blew up around 11:25 p.m. after initially catching fire. The owners and their family had left earlier because of rising water and flash flooding.
Fire crews found the home fully burning when they arrived. At first, four people were thought to be missing, but all were confirmed safe after it was discovered that they had already evacuated.
The blast damaged nearby houses. Three homes on Sweetbriar Lane are being checked for possible damage to their foundations.
Police say 35 to 50 cars were flooded or washed away in the borough during Monday’s storm. Dozens of people had to be rescued from high water.
The cause of the explosion has not been confirmed, but officials suspect a gas leak. Crews stayed at the scene Tuesday to monitor the situation.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.