COLD SPRING – Two cars burned up in Lower Township during the three-day Labor Day weekend, one of which was stolen in Edison.
On Saturday police were called to the Garden State Parkway and Route 109 a little after 4 a.m. for a vehicle fire. Lower Township police and the Erma volunteer firefighters found a white Toyota SUV ablaze in the woods on the side of the road.
Police attempted to put out the fire using an extinguisher from the police vehicle; however, the vehicle eventually became fully engulfed in flames. The fire was eventually put out by Erma firefighters.
The vehicle, which had a Florida registration, turned out to be a stolen car reported by the Edison Police Department, and the State Police were notified. Lower officers located the driver, whom they did not identify, and he was handed over to the State Police.
The State Police did not immediately respond to a Herald request for further details.
On Labor Day, police and Erma firefighters were again dispatched to a vehicle fire, this time on Fishing Creek Road at Cape Woods Road at 5:15 p.m., and arrived to find a silver 2025 Volkswagen GTI, bearing New York registration, completely engulfed in flames.
According to Lower police, the driver said smoke began to pour from the engine bay. The driver pulled over to investigate, and the front end erupted in flames.
Police said both the east and westbound lanes of traffic were diverted. Erma firefighters extinguished the flames, and the county fire marshal responded to the scene. No one was injured, and the investigation continues.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
