A car explosion near Wall Street’s Charging Bull sends smoke over Lower Manhattan; investigation is ongoing | Play video | Today’s news

A car caught fire and exploded Tuesday evening (local time) in Lower Manhattan, sending thick black smoke into the air near the Charging Bull statue in New York.

ABC7 reported that police and firefighters responded to reports of a car fire near Broadway and Stone Street around 5:42 p.m.

Footage from the scene showed the vehicle, believed to be connected to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), parked along the road before it was quickly engulfed in flames as bystanders waited for firefighters to arrive.

Crews managed to extinguish the fire shortly before 7 p.m. Authorities confirmed there were no injuries and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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The blast sent thick smoke billowing over nearby buildings near Wall Street, one of the city’s busiest business districts. Other videos captured terrified pedestrians screaming and fleeing seconds after the vehicle burst into flames.

The Charging Bull statue, where the explosion took place, is known as a symbol of Wall Street and is visited by thousands of tourists every day. This area is also considered the financial center of New York. Located near Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan, it is one of New York’s most famous landmarks and a major tourist attraction symbolizing Wall Street and America’s financial markets.

Fires engulf a car in a Brooklyn shaft

Earlier this year, CBS News reported that two manhole fires broke out in Brooklyn, injuring two people and causing the evacuation of several hundred people from the building.

The dramatic scene unfolded shortly before 3:30 a.m. on Humboldt Street in Williamsburg. The video showed firefighters battling flames that shot up from the ground and burned nearby cars. The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) received a call reporting elevated levels of carbon monoxide inside an apartment building caused by fires. Officials quickly raised the fire to two alarms, with more than 140 emergency responders on the scene.

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Similar incidents were reported in 2025. November 2025 Seven firefighters are injured in New York City after an explosion is reported in the Bronx. Firefighters responded to Westchester Avenue between Intervale Avenue and Kelly Street just after 7 p.m. after reports of burning trash and debris on the sidewalk, officials said. New York City Fire Chief John Esposito said several cars were also engulfed in flames.

In June 2025, several New York City Police Department (NYPD) vehicles were set on fire in Bushwick, Brooklyn. According to CBS News, the fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. in a closed NYPD parking lot near the intersection of Central and DeKalb avenues, about a block from the 83rd Precinct.

Police said it appeared to be arson and criminal mischief and are searching for a suspect. A total of 11 vehicles were damaged. Then-mayor Eric Adams said the NYPD linked the attack to protests against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taking place across the country.

Asked what evidence authorities have of that, Adams said, “There is a clear indication that someone had first-hand knowledge of this and is taking credit for it, and that will be part of our investigation.”

“The message is very loud and clear: If you destroy our property or assault our police officers, we will use all the powers and means at our disposal to find you and bring you to justice,” the former mayor said, adding, “This is not acceptable. We have said time and time again that a person has the right to peacefully protest, but you do not have the right to destroy New York City property.”

Key things

• Incidents of arson and vandalism in NYC have seen an alarming increase, leading to intensified investigations.
• An explosion at a major site highlights the need for security in major urban centers.
• Emergency response teams in NYC act quickly and demonstrate preparedness in crisis situations.