Van Encased in Ice After Parking Under Leaky NYC Pipe

Jeffrey Rosario's Mercedes-Benz sprinter van frozen solid, leaving him unable to move it

Jan. 28, 2026 at 2:07pm

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A van owner in the Bronx found his vehicle completely encased in ice after parking it under a leaky pipe at a train station. Jeffrey Rosario said the Mercedes-Benz sprinter van was frozen so solid that it wouldn't budge, leaving him unable to move it. Police and the MTA were unable to immediately assist Rosario, who uses the van for his job transporting building materials.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the challenges New Yorkers can face during extreme winter weather, with infrastructure issues like leaky pipes causing major disruptions. It also raises questions about the MTA's responsibility to maintain its facilities to prevent such incidents from occurring.

The details

Rosario parked his van under the elevated tracks at the Kingsbridge Road 4 train station in the Bronx on Tuesday. Overnight, a leaky pipe above the van created a waterfall of ice that completely encased the vehicle, freezing it in place. Rosario said he has never seen anything like this before, and that police and the MTA were unable to immediately help remove the ice-encased van, leaving him stuck waiting for it to thaw out.

  • Rosario parked his van under the elevated tracks on Tuesday.
  • Overnight, a leaky pipe created a waterfall of ice that encased the van.

The players

Jeffrey Rosario

A 49-year-old van owner whose Mercedes-Benz sprinter van was encased in ice after he parked it under a leaky pipe at a Bronx train station.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

The agency responsible for maintaining the infrastructure around the Kingsbridge Road 4 train station, where Rosario's van was parked.

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What they’re saying

“It's still stuck in the ice. It's been cold before, but I've never seen anything like this in my life.”

— Jeffrey Rosario, Van owner (New York Post)

“The MTA has to do something with the way its pipes and canals work so something like this never happens again.”

— Jeffrey Rosario, Van owner (New York Post)

What’s next

The MTA has said it is investigating the incident and will work to prevent similar issues with its infrastructure in the future.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure, especially during extreme winter weather, to prevent disruptions and safety hazards for New Yorkers.