LGT ON POSTFLT INSPECTION HAS 5 INCH PUNCTURE IN BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR.

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SCHEDULED TRIP EWR-BUF-EWR. SHOW TIME FOR TRIP XA45 WITH XB45 PUSH. RETURN PUSH TIME FROM BUF WAS XC40 SCHEDULED. UPON POST-FLT OF ACFT BY MAINT CREW IN EWR UPON RETURN FROM BUF; THEY DISCOVERED AN APPROX 5 INCH PUNCTURE IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR THAT THEY DETERMINED COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IN BUF. THEY SAID IT APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY A BAGGAGE UNLOADING CART OF A TYPE THAT BUF DID NOT HAVE. MAINT BELIEVED THE PUNCTURE TO HAVE OCCURRED BEFORE THE ACFT DEPARTED FROM EWR ON THE FIRST LEG. AS THE PERSON DOING THE PREFLT; I DID NOT SEE ANY PUNCTURE WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN FOR SEVERAL REASONS -- POOR RAMP LIGHTING; THE DOOR BEING OPEN DURING THE PREFLT WALK-AROUND INSPECTIONS; LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS ON THE ACFT THOUGHT TO BE MORE CRITICAL FOR CLOSE INSPECTION. CERTAINLY; IMPROVED RAMP LIGHTING MIGHT HAVE HELPED; BUT THEN EWR HAS BETTER LIGHTING THAN MANY ARPTS. BUT ON BIG AIRPLANES; IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PERSON WITH LIMITED TIME TO SCRUTINIZE EVERY INCH OF AN ACFT WHEN CERTAIN AREAS REQUIRE CLOSER INSPECTION AND APPRAISAL. I GUESS THAT IS WHERE THE BACKUP INSPECTIONS AND CLOSER PERUSAL BY MAINT BECOME MORE IMPORTANT.