Taxi Bursts Into Flames On Upper East Side

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A taxicab caught fire on the Upper East Side on Tuesday, startling onlookers as flames engulfed the vehicle and smoke filled surrounding blocks.

It happened around 5:40 p.m. near the corner of First Avenue and East 83rd Street.

Photos and videos posted to social media showed the taxi halfway onto the curb, seemingly about to enter the curved driveway to the apartment building at 353 East 83rd St.

By 6:22 p.m., the fire had been extinguished as firefighters remained on scene to wash down the vehicle, an FDNY spokesperson said. The cause was under investigation by fire marshals.

No injuries were immediately reported.

It was not immediately clear whether any crash had preceded the fire, or whether the car combusted on its own.