Jeep Catches Fire at Miami-Dade Criminal Courthouse Lot

An otherwise mundane Monday afternoon at the Richard Gerstein Justice Building was interrupted by a fiery calamity. A maroon colored Jeep parked in the public lot underneath the State Road 836 overpass caught on fire, sending plumes of acrid black smoke onto the sidewalk and street facing the criminal court...

By Francisco Alvarado

May 6, 2013

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An otherwise mundane Monday afternoon at the Richard Gerstein Justice Building was interrupted by a fiery calamity. A maroon colored Jeep parked in the public lot underneath the State Road 836 overpass caught on fire, sending plumes of acrid black smoke onto the sidewalk and street facing the criminal court house at 1351 NW 12th Street. The vehicle was engulfed in flames and its gas tank blew before a Miami Fire Department truck arrived on the scene to put out the blaze. From our vantage point, no one was inside the Jeep and no bystanders were hurt.

Hopefully the Jeep's owner is insured. We'll update this post once Miami police and fire officials report what may have caused the fire and if they suspect arson. In the meantime, check out photos after the jump.

Banana Republican catches sight of the Jeep on fire.

We decide to get a little closer.

We get too close when the gas tank goes KA-BOOM.

Miami firefighters save the day!

Follow Francisco Alvarado on Twitter:

@thefrankness.

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Francisco Alvarado was born in Nicaragua and grew up in Miami, giving him unique insight into the Magic City and all its dark corners. An investigative reporter with a knack for uncovering corruption, Alvarado made his bones as a staff writer at Miami New Times and remains in dogged pursuit of the next juicy story.

Contact: Francisco Alvarado

Follow:

Twitter: @thefrankness