Fire Destroys Car on I-95 in Harrison, No Injuries

Thick, black smoke was visible from miles away after a car fire burned for about 15 minutes along I-95 in Harrison Thursday.

The four-door vehicle caught fire while being transported on the back of a flat-bed truck on the north-bound side of Interstate 95. The driver of the flatbed noticed the fire and dumped the burning vehicle on the shoulder a little before 1:30 p.m., fire authorities say. The driver pulled forward a safe distance while waiting for fire trucks to arrive.

The inflamed vehicle, facing the wrong direction, burned extensively just south of Nelson Avenue before firefighters brought it under control. There was no one in the burning vehicle and no one was hurt.

"He actually just dumped it right there and then got his car out of the way," said Harrison Fire Chief Dino Del Signore, noting the driver did the right thing by pulling forward to avoid two other vehicles he was carrying from catching fire.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from as far away has Harrison and Union Avenues.

"I couldn't even tell you the make, model of the car," said Del Signore. "It was done."

Two lanes of the three-lane highway were closed for about an hour while members of the Harrison Fire Department cleared the scene. 

It isn't known what started the fire at this time. Del Signore guessed it could have been an electrical problem, among other possibilities.

Traffic was backed up heavily in the area until all lanes were re-opened around 2:30 p.m.

A group of about 15 to 20 bystanders gathered on the Nelson Avenue bridge while the fire burned below. Harrison Police were in the area directing traffic.