Seen On Video: Trash Can Suddenly Explodes At Times Square Subway Station
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A trash can exploded Monday inside a Times Square subway station, narrowly missing a family and police officers.
Video shows the garbage can ignite just after 3 p.m. in the station's mezzanine.
"Oh my goodness, so very dangerous. Nobody expected it, because it's a garbage can," one person told CBS2's Natalie Duddridge.
"I'd ask for help and I'd run," another person said.
A witness told police he saw smoke and started recording on his phone. He captured the moment a woman and two children were walking by, just as an officer was throwing out garbage.
Video shows a mini explosion, and everyone runs. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"I'd just be doing what those people did. I'd turn my back and run," said one man.
"I mean it could be a prank or something, but definitely is concerning," another person added. "So I'm not sure if that was some sort of attack."
A bomb squad was called to the scene and found an aerosol can that had overheated and ignited.
Detectives are combing through surveillance video to see whether the incident was intentional or accidental.