January 28, 2011 / Brooklyn news / Williamsburg

Yellow cab, red flames, black char

By Aaron Short

The Brooklyn Paper

Beware hailing a taxicab during a blizzard.

Williamsburg residents gaped at a burned-out yellow cab, which was spotted in the middle of Roebling and S. First Street on Thursday morning.

The cab’s hood was raised, exposing an engine as charred and blackened as the delicious brisket from nearby Fette Sau — a warning to those who drive in a foot of snow.

A witness said that he saw the cab go up in flames at around 3 am on Jan. 27 after the driver got stuck in snow and revved his engine too many times in an effort to get out.

A community affairs officer with Williamsburg’s 90th Precinct couldn’t confirm that account, but admitted that it sounded familiar.

“It happens a lot, you spin your tires so much and revving your engine so much, it bursts in to flames,” said the officer. “In the last snowstorm, we had one of our cars catch on fire that way.”

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Reader Feedback

ilovebrooklyn from PPW says:

There was a burnt out hulk of a taxi in the middle of Flatbush Avenue at 8th Ave yesterday a.m. as well. And several in Manhattan, too, according to other news sites.

Jan. 28, 2011, 10:52 am

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