Westfield, NJ house fire rocks neighborhood: 'Sounded like a car exploded'

WESTFIELD, NJ - A home in Westfield, NJ reportedly exploded and caught fire on Monday night, causing the front of the house to partially collapse.

Fire in Westfield, NJ

Witnesses reported hearing a loud boom around 10:30 p.m. Several police and fire trucks were seen on the street. Trees and power lines in the area also caught fire.

"We heard a loud boom, explosion," said neighbor Maria Logrippo. "Sounded like a car exploded out front, came out front to look at it."

It's unclear if the home was vacant or if there were any injuries. Logrippo told FOX 5 NY that an elderly couple once lived in the house, but she believes they have since died.

"Turned around and saw flames and the neighbor screaming, ‘It’s a fire, it’s a fire, call 911!'" Logrippo said.

Logrippo says the couple’s son "comes and goes" from the house. She called the house "more or less an abandoned house."

The cause of the fire was unknown at the time.