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Taxi Explodes in Midtown
NBC New York ^ | Thu, Sep 3, 2009 | Hasani Gittens

Posted on 09/03/2009 6:39:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway

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.


TOPICS: Conspiracy; Travel; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: explosion; fdny; manhattan; newyorkcity; nyc; taxi

Video/Pics at site

1 posted on 09/03/2009 6:39:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Clemenza

We all knew it would happen eventually...


2 posted on 09/03/2009 6:39:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Must be one of the new Government built cars.


3 posted on 09/03/2009 6:40:33 PM PDT by SolidWood (Sarah Palin: "Only dead fish go with the flow!")
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To: nickcarraway
Was a Muslim driving it?

Having a bad day and decided to detonate his bomber jacket?

4 posted on 09/03/2009 6:42:51 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: nmh

“Was a Muslim driving it?”

I guess you’ve never been to NYC.


5 posted on 09/03/2009 6:44:51 PM PDT by Hammerhead
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To: Hammerhead

I live in NJ ... I used to work up there and I don’t miss it. What a rat race! And taxes up the gazoo!


6 posted on 09/03/2009 6:46:53 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: nickcarraway

A friend was driving her car a few weeks ago and noticed smoke coming out from under the hood when they stopped at a light. She grabbed her little girl out of the back seat and got out of the car and it literally burst into flames before she was more than a few feet away from it. If she hadn’t gotten out immediately, they would both have been dead by then.

It can happen. Someone told me that it’s not the gas, but the brake fluid that catches fire if there’s a fire in the engine. It can travel to the gas tank, but the part of the fire that engulfs the passenger compartment from the engine doesn’t come from the gas tank initially. Pretty scary. The taxi driver is lucky!


7 posted on 09/03/2009 6:47:34 PM PDT by livius
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To: SolidWood

I initially thought hybrid because they have a bunch of small hybrid SUVs in taxi service there now, but the pics show a run of the mill Ford Crown Vic.


8 posted on 09/03/2009 6:53:34 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: livius

I remember seeing maybe 10-12 years ago a car in Pennsylvania on the shoulder beside the Interstate. A fellow was standing a few yards in front of it facing it in a suit and tie. Hi arms were folded and he did not look happy. It was all in flames. Traffic was just whizzing by like this is a normal part of the scenery. I did see a police helicopter headed that direction a few seconds later.


9 posted on 09/03/2009 6:53:42 PM PDT by arthurus ("If you don't believe in shooting abortionists, don't shoot an abortionist." -Ann C.)
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To: nickcarraway

Since this happened in New York, the car exploded in slow motion, and people were able to outrun the fireball.


10 posted on 09/03/2009 7:16:42 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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To: nmh

I go up there about once a year for a weekend getaway with my GF.

I’m taking my daughter for her 13th birthday in October.

Everytime I go, my eyes start stinging on Saturday night.

Yeh, NYC sucks.


11 posted on 09/03/2009 7:31:53 PM PDT by Hammerhead
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To: Hammerhead

“I go up there about once a year for a weekend getaway with my GF.”

What do you have against your GF?

“I’m taking my daughter for her 13th birthday in October.”

Take her somewhere else.

“Everytime I go, my eyes start stinging on Saturday night.

Yeh, NYC sucks.”

It’s an over priced, over rated, LIBERAL heaven.


12 posted on 09/03/2009 8:47:19 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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