NEW YORK, April 18 (UPI) — New York police said Friday an explosion in a taxicab near St. Patrick's Cathedral was not related to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the city.

The pope arrived Friday and was scheduled to say mass at the cathedral Saturday.

The explosion– on Thursday — was apparently caused by a malfunctioning transmission, the New York Post reported.

Driver Jean Ambroise, 69, told police he'd just put a new transmission in the car.

"There was smoke (coming out of the car), but I didn't realize it. Then I heard, boom, boom, boom," Ambroise said.

Streets in the area were temporarily shut down while police questioned Ambroise, the Post reported.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/04/18/nyc_taxi_blast_not_related_to_popes_visit/9549/