A garbage truck caught fire on a New Jersey street and promptly exploded. NJ.com/YouTube video screenshot
"I was amazed at how it exploded," Partyka told NJ.com.
Firefighters said the two garbage collectors evacuated the truck when they smelled smoke.
No injuries were reported from the incident, but firefighters said four homes sustained sufficient damage to render them temporarily uninhabitable.
Officials said the explosion resulted from the flames igniting one of the truck's four natural gas tanks.
"The tank that exploded was like a missile," Hamilton police Capt. James Stevens said.
The cause of the initial fire is under investigation, but investigators said initial signs point to an issue with the truck's battery system.
