The fire broke out near Broadway and Stone Street during the Tuesday evening commute.
NEW YORK, NY — An MTA-affiliated vehicle caught fire and exploded Tuesday evening near Wall Street, sending a fireball and thick black smoke into the air near the Charging Bull statue as pedestrians fled the busy Lower Manhattan area.
Police and firefighters responded around 5:42 p.m. to a reported vehicle fire near Broadway and Stone Street, outside the Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters at 2 Broadway. Fire officials said no injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday.
The vehicle was parked on the side of the road when flames began spreading through it during the evening rush. Videos from the scene showed people standing nearby as the car burned, then running as the flames suddenly erupted into a larger fireball. The blast happened in one of the most crowded parts of the Financial District, near office buildings, subway entrances, tourist stops and the bronze Charging Bull sculpture. Firefighters arrived as black smoke rose over the street and drifted through the area. The FDNY said crews were called to the scene shortly before 5:45 p.m., and the fire was extinguished shortly before 7 p.m.
The MTA confirmed the vehicle belonged to the agency and referred further questions about the fire to the FDNY. The car appeared to be an agency vehicle, though officials did not immediately release its exact model, fuel type or assigned department. Images from the aftermath showed the vehicle badly burned near a Starbucks close to the corner. Officials did not report damage to nearby buildings, other vehicles or street fixtures. There was no immediate indication that the fire was suspicious, but investigators had not announced a final cause. The FDNY’s review is expected to examine where the fire started, how it spread and what caused the sudden burst of flames seen in witness videos.
The location added to the alarm because the fire happened in a high-profile section of Lower Manhattan. Broadway and Stone Street sit near the southern end of the Financial District, close to Wall Street, Bowling Green, Battery Park and several major transit points. The area draws office workers, tourists and commuters throughout the day, and pedestrian traffic is heavy during the evening rush. The Charging Bull statue, a major photo stop, is only a short walk from the site. The MTA headquarters at 2 Broadway is also a major office location for the transit agency, which runs New York City’s subways, buses, commuter railroads and bridges and tunnels.
No arrests or summonses were announced in the immediate aftermath. Officials had not reported any service disruptions tied directly to the vehicle fire, and no evacuation order was announced for nearby buildings. Fire marshals typically review burned vehicles after flames are knocked down, checking the engine area, passenger compartment, fuel system, battery and any cargo or equipment inside. In this case, authorities had not said whether the vehicle was electric, hybrid or gasoline-powered. They also had not said whether any agency equipment was inside the vehicle when it caught fire. Those details remained unknown as the investigation continued.
The scene unfolded quickly, according to videos shared from the street. The vehicle burned as bystanders watched from nearby sidewalks and the roadway, with some recording on their phones before the fire intensified. When the flames surged, people could be seen moving away from the area as smoke filled the block. Emergency vehicles later surrounded the scene while firefighters worked to keep the flames from spreading. The fire left behind a charred vehicle shell and a scorched section of roadway. By nightfall, the immediate danger had passed, but investigators still had to determine what caused the fire.
The vehicle had been extinguished by shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, and no injuries had been reported as of Thursday, May 21. The next step is the FDNY investigation into the cause of the fire and whether any mechanical, electrical or fuel-related failure played a role.
Author note: Last updated May 21, 2026.