A propane tank planted next to a Boston police car caused the vehicle to catch fire Friday in what appears to be a deliberate attempt “to blow up one of our cruisers,” law enforcement officials said.
A police representative said the tank was wedged between the cruiser and a bridge on West Broadway in South Boston, near a Boston police station.
Police released a photo of a person who may have been in the area during the explosions and is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual.
The image shows someone wearing a large pink coat. A photo was also released of what is believed to be this person’s car — a dark-colored Toyota.
The images were pulled from surveillance footage from a nearby business, police spokeswoman Rachel McGuire said.
The incident is still under investigation by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Boston police and the FBI.
Boston police Commissioner William Evans said the device was determined to be a propane tank.
When an officer got into the cruiser and began driving, the tank exploded, Evans said.
“Luckily, nobody was hurt,” Evans said. “Clearly, we’re looking at this as a deliberate act.”
No arrests have been made.