'Like a missile.' Bayport residents describe gas tank that hit car and exploded

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Some Bayport residents say they’re lucky to be alive after a compressed natural gas tank flew across a front lawn "like a missile" and through a car. The moments after the impact were captured on camera. Michael Luce told News 12, “I thought the front of my house exploded.” While his house was OK, his wife’s car was not. He said the driver's side door "was hit so hard it's in the backseat." Luce’s Glenmore Lane home is adjacent to a Montauk Highway home. Behind that Montauk Highway house, residents tell News 12, there’s a garage where an illegal auto shop is being operated - and that’s where residents say the tank came from. Ray Kopeck said he saw it all happen. He said there were “two back-to-back explosion sounds” and the car “came two feet off the ground” and then went down. News 12 tried speaking to a man on the Montauk Highway property, who was walking near multiple cars parked out back, but he did not comment. James Krumholz said he’s complained to the Town of Islip about the alleged illegal auto business before. The Town of Islip tells News 12 that a notice of violation was issued July 10 for an unlicensed vehicle. When the town went back the next day, the violation had been resolved. Residents say the vehicles would again reappear in the back and the illegal business has continued to operate. The town says there is no certificate of occupancy to operate a body shop. The town says there were violations identified related to Monday’s incident and the town plans to address them with the property owner. "This just has to stop," says Krumholz said. "