Taxi Explodes in Midtown
No injuries reported
By HASANI GITTENS
Updated 4:50 PM EST, Thu, Sep 3, 2009
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It was an amazing scene just blocks north of Times Square Thursday morning as a yellow cab caught fire and exploded, but no injuries were reported and the driver escaped unharmed, fire officials said.
The cab was parked at the corner of 53rd Street and 7th Avenue when a small fire erupted in the car around 9:30 a.m, fire officials said. The fire spread to the gas tank, causing the vehicle to explode. Huge plumes of gray smoke were seen billowing from the front of the burning car.
The blaze frightened pedestrians and office workers in the area, but there were no injuries and the driver was able to escape the cab unharmed. Firefighters extinguished the flames in about 20 minutes, according to officials.
The blaze is still under investigation, and an FDNY spokesman said it would be a few days before Fire Marshals could say determine an exact cause. An NYPD spokeswoman said the department did not believe the explosion was terror related.
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First Published: Sep 3, 2009 11:43 AM EST
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