Car Bomb Scares Times Square, Fails to Explode

Police found an "amateurish" but potentially powerful bomb that began to detonate last night but failed to explode in a smoking sport utility vehicle in Times Square. Thousands of tourists were cleared from the streets for 10 hours while the bomb was dismantled. "We avoided what could have been a very deadly event," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "It certainly could have had a pretty big fire and a decent amount of explosive impact."

Investigators removed three propane tanks, fireworks, two filled 5-gallon gasoline containers, and two clocks with batteries, electrical wire and other components from the back of the Nissan Pathfinder, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. Kelly said the explosives were consumer-grade fireworks but could have caused huge damage on a block of Broadway theaters and restaurants teeming with tourists. "I think the intent was to cause a significant ball of fire," Kelly said.