Burning firearm discharges as flames destroy car on I676 in Center City Philly
Jul 09, 2026
A burning firearm inside a car fired off at least one shot as it was destroyed in a vehicle fire along the Vine Street Expressway early Thursday, police said.
According to police, the incident happened at about 12:40 a.m. when a vehicle caught fire along I-676 on an off-ramp at 15th and Vine str
eets in Center City Philadelphia.
That vehicle, officials said, had an AR-15 rifle and a 9mm Glock handgun inside when flames erupted in the vehicle.
During the fire, one of the firearms discharged, police said, shooting a live round through a car door.
No one was injured in this incident, police said, and crews had the flames under control by about 12:40 a.m.
Also, police said, both of the firearms were legally owned. However, officials said, these weapons were not recovered by police as they were both destroyed by the vehicle fire.
Police have not said if anyone in the vehicle could face charges following this incident.
An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing, police said.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
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