It’s rare to see an ice cream truck explode but that’s exactly what happened on Monday in Astoria, New York. Making things even more interesting, the truck belongs to a business accused of price gouging their customers. Even with Bidenflation, $14 bucks is a little pricey for an ordinary cone of soft-serve. While social media is convinced it was a hit-job, the cops say no. Just an everyday engine fire. That’s not convincing enough to New Yorkers. They know how easily such things can be arranged.
Ice cream and fireworks
The fireworks started early, on Monday, July 1, when a New York Ice Cream truck exploded. The “bubblegum pink” vehicle “burned to a crisp on 21st Street and Astoria Boulevard,” FDNY relates.
NYIC may be infamous for “hawking overpriced cones” but everyone insists that had nothing to do with it.
Everyone is speculating “who may have wanted to burn the frosty vendor.” The incident comes about three weeks after “The Post revealed locals’ outrage over the company’s wallet-busting $14 waffle cones.”
NYC ice cream truck explodes after Post report on company gouging customers, prompting conspiracy theories: ‘This is a hit’ https://t.co/b5w2CqwwGc
An ice cream truck exploded into flames in Astoria after The Post revealed one of the company’s vans had been hawking overpric…
— Grand Master B (@GrandMaster_B79) July 6, 2024
If it wasn’t outraged customers, it could have been “ice cream vendor turf wars.”
“This is a hit,” one Facebook user observed. “Immediately I thought it was related to turf wars,” a Reddit user insists. There’s been a “years-long rivalry between NYIC and vendor Mister Softee that has escalated to Mafia-like intimidation and violent threats.”
Ice Cream is apparently a cut-throat business. Vehicle arson is a definite possibility. The city has more than it’s share of experts who can make it look perfectly natural.
Just an accident
“Hopefully this is just an accident and not the Ice Cream Truck Wars Volume 2,” tapped out another Reddit reader. The fire department isn’t looking for any arsonists. “DNY poured water on the conspiracy theories Friday, saying the blaze was caused by an accidental fire in the van’s engine compartment.”
Well, there’s accidents and then there’s accidents. In this case, the evidence seems pretty well destroyed. So, the world may never know.
The controversy ramped up after parents like Henry Fernandez started complaining. His two kids were playing soccer in the park and he treated them each to “a small sundae and shake float.” Without thinking, he handed the girl at the window a $20, expecting change back.
????#BREAKING: Ice Cream Truck Engulfed in Flames in Astoria, Queens
Police have closed Astoria Boulevard at 18th Street to manage traffic, and firefighters are on the scene addressing the vehicle fire.????#Queens pic.twitter.com/XauFnYlLFJ
— Citizen NYC (@CitizenAppNYC) July 1, 2024
He was planning around $8 total but she wanted $26, pointing at the tiny list of prices up near the roof. He’s not the only parent caught in the same Ice Cream trap.
Most neighborhood parents weren’t aware how expensive the frozen treats were until they got hit with sticker shock like brain freeze. After your child is holding the ice cream is no time to complain about the price, you pay it.
Mr. Softees is much more reasonable. They sell “waffle cones and sundaes for $8 cash, or $9 if using a credit card, including tax.” They also put their prices “right next to the product images.“
