Did space junk or meteor strike damage south jersey auto shop? — File photo

MAGNOLIA, NJ — A mysterious object believed to have fallen from the sky tore through the roof of a South Jersey auto body shop early Wednesday morning, leaving behind a large hole, scattered debris, and an entire town buzzing with theories.

The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at SNL Automotive on Atlantic Avenue, when residents of Magnolia were jolted awake by a loud boom. Later that morning, shop owner Sebastian Leonardo arrived to find a gaping hole in the roof and damage inside the building.

“That’s when I looked up and I saw the giant hole up there in the ceiling,” Leonardo said. Surveillance footage from the shop captured a flash of light outside, followed by a fireball crashing through the roof and scattering debris. A thick steel box inside the shop was visibly dented from the impact.

Doorbell cameras from nearby homes also recorded the bright flash and booming noise. While speculation has swirled, no definitive cause has been identified. Derrick Pitts, chief astronomer at The Franklin Institute, said the evidence suggests something possibly extraterrestrial, but confirmation hinges on finding the actual object.

“There’s a bright flash. There’s a boom. There’s a hole. That’s three out of four things,” Pitts said in an interview with WABC news. “If we had one more thing, like an item that we could identify as being extraterrestrial, then we might say it’s something from space.”

Key Points

A fireball tore through the roof of SNL Automotive in Magnolia, NJ, early April 10.
Surveillance footage and doorbell videos captured a bright flash followed by impact.
No object has been officially identified; astronomers suggest a space object is possible.

As the owner sift through the debris, residents are left wondering whether Magnolia had a close encounter from beyond the stars.

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