E-Paper
Brooklyn Bridge fire: What caused massive blaze in New York; shocking video emerges
Traffic came to a halt on the Brooklyn Bridge Friday after a car burst into flames, sending plumes of thick black smoke billowing over the East River skyline.
Traffic came to a halt on the Brooklyn Bridge Friday afternoon after a car burst into flames, sending plumes of thick black smoke billowing over the East River skyline. The blaze broke out around 2:06 PM local time on the Brooklyn-bound side of the bridge, according to the New York Fire Department.
Fire crews rushed to the scene, quickly dousing the flames as police shut down all lanes heading into Brooklyn. No injuries were reported, officials said.
Read More: Inside the Reagan ad that led Trump to end trade talks with Canada: ‘High tariffs lead to…’
Images shared on X (formerly Twitter) showed the dramatic scene, a vehicle engulfed in flames as smoke rose high above the bridge, with drivers stranded in both directions.
Locals warned others about the fire. “Couple of minutes ago cycling through the Brooklyn bridge bike lane. Couldn’t really see what was really going on but a car caught on fire,” one person posted on social media.
“Car caught on fire on the Brooklyn Bridge 30 mins ago. All traffic on both ends are at a complete halt,” another one tweeted.
Read More: Shooting near Harvard University by man on bicycle, search for suspect underway
“Vehicle Fire: Brooklyn-bound traffic delays on the Brooklyn Bridge. Consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time," Notify NYC posted.
“Due to a vehicle fire in the Brooklyn-bound lanes of the Brooklyn Bridge, expect delays and consider alternate routes,” the NYPD warned commuters in a post.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fire. The car was reportedly consumed by flames before firefighters brought it under control. The incident caused heavy rush-hour congestion throughout Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn as traffic was diverted from the bridge.
While the bridge has since reopened, residual delays continued into the evening. The FDNY confirmed that investigators remain on site to examine the charred vehicle and assess possible mechanical or electrical failures.
