Four vehicles were traveling on the Brooklyn-bound side of the bridge about 7:15 a.m. when they spun out of control, a spokesman for the fire department said. Three of the vehicles burst into flames, the spokesman said. Six people sustained minor injuries.

Videos of the incident showed that the vehicles came to a stop on the roadway entering Brooklyn, away from the middle of the bridge over the East River. According to the fire department, 12 units from both sides of the bridge responded and 60 personnel were involved.

Dark plumes of smoke billowed from the thick flames, which were captured by television helicopter crews and posted on social media by onlookers.

Firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after 8 a.m., the fire department spokesman said.

The Manhattan-bound lanes on the bridge reopened about 8:30 a.m., but as of 11 a.m. the Brooklyn-bound lanes remained closed, authorities said.

The New York Times

Matthew Haag and Liz Robbins © 2018 The New York Times