This happened just before 1 PM outside The Javits Center.  The driver sprang out.  True to form, the FDNY was there in minutes.

Watching them at work was educational.  They do not simply hose a vehicle down and take lunch.  They have to actually tear it open in places to hit its insides everywhere with water, to make sure there is nothing smoldering, I guess.

Also, there were two tremendous “POP”s as flames enveloped the vehicle.  To a guy who’s seen a lot of war movies, it sounded like ammunition cooking off.  A bystander helpfully informed the rest of us that this was the sound of the airbags exploding.

In some of these shots, you can see the Empire State Building in the background.

Hey — while we’re on the subject of public safety in Manhattan, the members of the United States Army guarding Penn Station were looking as tough and professional as always.  I actually did feel safer traveling.  If you know someone who serves in such a capacity in NYC or elsewhere, thank them for their service.