Well, what could possibly go wrong during a street takeover in Los Angeles, California? It appears that at least one vehicle had quite the heated experience. Videos have emerged on social media showing a C7-generation Chevrolet Corvette burning in the middle of a throng of onlookers, as young people throw gas on it to stoke the flames.
Unfortunately, there’s very little context available for this incident at this time. The footage was posted on Instagram by @shotbycompton, an account known for frequently sharing videos of takeovers. Three separate posts of the burning Corvette were uploaded by the account yesterday.
#LosAngeles
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) January 21, 2024
A presumably stolen Corvette was torched by participants of a street takeover somewhere in LA on Friday, according to the OP.
pic.twitter.com/WfmYPRNuD4
In these short clips, a fire can be seen emerging from the cockpit of a seventh-generation Corvette whose targa top has been removed. Several close-up shots of the scene reveal that the interior has also been littered with unexpected items, including a road cone and what appears to be an outdoor sail sign from a nearby store.
Read: Police Arrest Five In Association With Street Takeover And Stolen Muscle Cars
In one of the videos, young attendees of the takeover can be seen tossing items into the car. It is not clear why the fire started in the first place, but based on its location, in addition to the fact that someone can be seen dousing the interior with gas from a Jerry can, it would appear to have been set intentionally. Some commenters have also suggested that it may have been stolen.
— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) January 21, 2024
However, based on what little context we have, it seems safe to assume that the car was being used to perform donuts and other tricks before the fire started. Whether that led to an engine failure, or some other problem that prompted its owner to give up on it, remains to be clarified.
This isn’t the first takeover in Los Angeles to include pyrotechnics. Last week, CBS News reported that a group of drivers stopped traffic outside of the Crypto.com Arena to participate in a takeover that included a burning Christmas tree and fireworks. In that case, the size of the traffic disturbance caused by the event made it difficult for police to reach the scene. In one of the videos shot of the burning Corvette, flashing lights can be seen in the distance, as the group of onlookers thins and some people seemingly attempt to flee.
Screenshot shotbycompton/Instagram