Flames consumed a taxi cab on the Manhattan Bridge Tuesday afternoon, causing traffic delays in the area as thick black smoke billowed into the air.
No one was hurt in the blaze that erupted on the Brooklyn-bound upper level of the bridge shortly after 1 p.m., fire officials said.
Photos posted to social media showed dramatic flames, with a yellow school bus stalled near the engulfed vehicle. A still shot from a Department of Transportation traffic camera shows the burned out husk of the cab after the flames had been doused, the front of the car obliterated as traffic builds up behind it.
Video shot from a distance away showed smoke billowing out over the middle of the span as emergency crews responded. It took firefighters about an hour to get the blaze under control, officials said.
All Brooklyn-bound upper level lanes were closed as authorities investigated. They reopened briefly around 2:30 p.m. after the scene cleared but were shut down again shortly thereafter so officials could do a structural assessment.
The bridge was totally open again by 4 p.m.
