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Questions about overnight trash can explosion on Jersey Shore

Published  October 13, 2016 12:00pm EDT
US
FOX 29 Philadelphia

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, N.J. (WTXF/AP) - A trash can in a Jersey Shore town exploded overnight and now, authorities are looking into who and what caused it.

Barnegat police got several reports of the explosion near Village Drive, just after 1:30am.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office reports "officers found a cloud of smoke emanating from the remnants of a rubber trash can" on the curb between 81 Village Drive and 82 Windward Drive.

Debris was scattered as far as 10 yards away, but there was no damage to any homes or vehicles.

Authorities said the material used to cause the explosion is unknown, but neighbors will be interviewed and debris analyzed to help determine the cause.

The prosecutor's office spokesperson said investigators think the blast likely was more of a nuisance and not meant to cause harm, given the time and location.

The blast does come as the man accused of planting a bomb in a trash can in Seaside Park and a pressure cooker bomb in New York City on Sept. 17 is scheduled to be arraigned.