New York police vehicle
New York police vehicleiStock

Nobody was hurt when an explosive device was tossed in front of a Queens, New York synagogue on Friday, police sources told the New York Daily News.

The male driver of an “old brown van” that fled the scene was questioned about the incident by police later on Friday, the sources added.

The explosive device was thrown outside the Shaare Tova Synagogue in Queens at around 7:45 p.m.

Earlier, a man had been seen placing a box in front of the synagogue.

The NYPD tweeted that they did not at present think there was a connection between the incident and the synagogue.

“The NYPD is investigating an incident at 8233 Lefferts Blvd. in Queens. The incident appears to be a dispute between an individual on the street and two individuals in a van. It appears that the van tossed a firework onto the sidewalk which was set off as they drove away.”

A witness to the sound of the explosion who lives nearby told the Daily News that the noise was “like something collapsing.”

“It was in the back of the synagogue. I rushed out to make sure everything was all right, and the police were everywhere,” said the witness.