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Jets Lose, Cars Burn
By
Claire Lampen
Published Oct 22, 2018
Modified Oct 22, 2018
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By
Claire Lampen
Published Oct 22, 2018
Modified Oct 22, 2018
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Tailgaters who dumped hot coals in parking spaces at MetLife Stadium inadvertently barbecued seven of their fellow sportsfans' cars on Sunday. No one was hurt in the conflagrations, but a bunch of people did exit the stadium—quite possibly dejected after the Jets big loss to the Minnesota Vikings—only to find their vehicles had been incinerated.
The Meadowlands Fire Department responded to reports of two separate blazes around 2 p.m. at the East Rutherford stadium. According to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeff Flynn, the incident is still under investigation, but authorities believe that one of the fires broke out after a driver parked over the still-hot coals someone had dumped out of their grill, spreading to five other cars nearby. Elsewhere in the parking lot, another car was parked on top of a pile of improperly disposed coals and burned, without affecting its neighboring vehicles.
The vehicles were unoccupied and no injuries were reported, outside the financial disaster and staggering inconvenience that comes with jockeying your way through a post-game crowd to be greeted by a pile of smoking ruin where you'd parked your sedan mere hours before.
MetLife Stadium mandates that tailgating may only take place within designated areas, and strictly prohibits the use of grills "near buildings or in areas where guests or property may be damaged is strictly prohibited." It also furnishes big orange bins for the specific purpose of coal disposal, and warns patrons to please "not discard hot coals near vehicles or in plastic waste receptacles," because "doing so could result in car and trash fires."
Flynn did not know if the tailgaters in question had set up camp in the special tailgating area. No charges have been brought at this time, he said, and the investigation is ongoing. Still, he emphasized that "there are coal bins at the stadium where patrons who are tailgating can discard their coals." Please take advantage of them next time, assholes.
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car fire
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jets
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Claire Lampen
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