Blast Caused by Pipe Bomb, Homes and Cars Impacted

An explosion that rocked Hunter Place late Sunday was caused by the detonation of a bomb apparently constructed of a small pipe filled with black powder and small nails, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said Monday afternoon.

The 11 p.m. blast rained debris on frightened residents' homes and prompted a large-scale emergency response to the area. The explosion, which took place at 18-11 Hunter Place, caused the small explosive device's pipe to "fragment into numerous small pieces that struck neighboring cars and houses," Molinelli said in a press release. 

Pipe fragments traveled through the walls of 18-11 Hunter Place, and also into homes at 18-14 and 18-02 Hunter Place, according to the prosecutor. Several vehicles were damaged, and there are no reported injuries, the prosecutor said.

"What did I feel? Frightened to death," area resident Rosemarie Lynch said on Monday morning.

Resident Gina Alfano said "I was jumping from the bed, how big it was." Dee Donner said she heard a "big crack" and "really thought it was thunder." Alfano, however, said "I knew it was a bomb."

Though he was not at liberty to discuss additional details as the case remains under investigation, Molinelli confirmed in an email to Patch on Monday night that Fair Lawn residents should not be concerned that the bomb represented a random attack.

A Fair Lawn police officer was at the door of 18-11 Hunter Place around 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. Residue could be seen in the driveway of that home, as well as a vehicle with a flat tire. Down the block at 18-02 Hunter Place, there was a small hole on the side of the home.

One witness—who lives several houses away from the home in which the explosion occurred—said she heard a loud blast shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday and then heard debris fall on her patio. Another said he heard a car speed by before the blast.

Fair Lawn Police and the county sheriff's office scoured the neighborhood with flashlights for bits of debris as dogs searched the area.

Much of the neighborhood gathered on front porches, answering questions from investigators and expressing concern over what transpired late Sunday night.

"It's really shocking for something like this to happen," said one Hunter Place resident as police moved the yellow tape to extend the search perimeter. "This kind of stuff doesn't happen here."