Homes in Rahway, Somerville explode during intense rain from Ida

A home in Rahway and a home in Somerville have been destroyed by explosions during a period of intense rain and flooding caused by the remnants of Ida.

News 12 Staff

Sep 2, 2021, 12:29 PM

Updated 1,235 days ago

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A home in Rahway and a home in Somerville have been destroyed by explosions during a period of intense rain and flooding caused by the remnants of Ida.
A home on Whittier Street and River Road in Rahway exploded Wednesday night. The family that lives in the home was unharmed because they had evacuated due to the flooding.
A neighbor tells News 12 New Jersey that she smelled gas before the explosion.
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“You could smell gas, but It wasn’t in my house. It was outside,” says Nicole Maples. “There was a boom and the wall fell. Windows exploded and everything just shook and moved in the house.”
Maples says that when she went outside she didn’t even see her neighbor’s home, only the fire.
Another explosion leveled a home on Mercer Street in Somerville. That family was able to get out before the fire. It was unclear what caused the home to explode.