A hybrid car erupted into a massive fireball in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon, sending thick black smoke into the air and forcing nearby pedestrians to flee for safety during the evening rush hour.
The vehicle explosion occurred just outside the Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters, located a short distance from the iconic Charging Bull statue on Wall Street.
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Firefighters responded to the emergency scene at approximately 5:42 p. m.
EDT, according to reports from ABC News and the Fire Department of New York.
The Fire Department of New York reported that emergency crews worked quickly to contain the blaze and brought the incident under control by around 7:00 p.
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m.
No injuries were reported from the scene, though subsequent images released from the aftermath showed the vehicle completely torched with severe structural damage.
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The precise cause of the explosion remains unknown and is currently under investigation, though authorities believe an electrical fault inside the hybrid vehicle may have triggered the fire.
