Neighbors at first think explosion involving vehicle is meteorite

EAST TROY (WITI) -- Several people in an East Troy neighborhood were up and out of bed in a hurry on Thursday morning, July 18th after hearing what they described as an explosion. Some believed it came from the sky, but the noise actually involved a vehicle.

"It sounded like an explosion, or a gunshot, but it was too loud to be a gunshot," Amy Baillargeon said.

The sound was loud enough to wake up Baillargeon and her husband around 5:30 Thursday morning, July 18th.

"The kids were fine. The dog started barking like crazy, and then we noticed that the police cars all came by the house, there. So we knew it was something down there," Baillargeon said.

Just a few houses east, on Ridge Drive, Village of East Troy police officers were quickly on the scene.

"It was just a loud explosion in the subdivision, and officers came and found that the incident occurred here," East Troy Police Chief Alan Boyes said.

Chief Boyes says upon arriving at the scene, he called for members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to be part of the investigation -- and says that the explosion originated on or around a vehicle.

Baillargeon says some in the Lindale subdivision thought there might have been another source for the commotion: possibly, a meteorite.

"The neighbors across the way were saying that it was called in that something fell from the sky, and there was some lady walking, and she said it was smoldering, and saw a big flash of light," Baillargeon said.

Chief Boyes put those rumors to rest Thursday.

"I know nothing about a meteorite," Chief Boyes said.

Before they left the scene, members of the ATF and police made sure that the rear of the car was covered, as the investigation into what caused the explosion continues.