A car caught on fire outside the Penn Bookstore yesterday at around 12:20 p.m.
The damage to the car was extensive, resulting in the charring of the front end.
No one was injured.
Penn's Division of Public Safety reported that it is still unclear why the car, a dark gray Oldsmobile, ignited.
However, officials stated that they suspect that the incident was a result of mechanical failure within the vehicle.
The owner of the car, who is not affiliated with the University, was not present when the car began to burn.
Engineering senior Tommy Acchione, a former Daily Pennsylvanian reporter, said that by the time he walked past the car at about 12:50 p.m., the Philadelphia Fire Department had already put out most of the flames.
"The car was behind this truck, and the back of the truck had ash all over it," Acchione said.
He added that not many students were near the car at the time.
The burned car remained on 36th and Walnut streets for several hours after the incident.
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