A dramatic car fire drew crews and equipment from several local departments to the intersection of Spring and Witherspoon Streets for several hours on Saturday afternoon.

Princeton Borough Police Lieutenant Sharon Papp said that the car’s driver, Jaime Geter, later reported having seen smoke emanate from the hood of the 1999 green Dodge Stratus several times after the thermostat was replaced. Fire Inspector Ron DiLapo concluded that there was nothing suspicious about Saturday’s fire.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which destroyed the car it originated in, melted the parking meter next to it, cracked a large glass window at Tico’s Eatery and Juice Bar, and charred the nearby pavement. Tico’s remained closed on Monday afternoon, with a sign on the door reading “we need to clean and get rid of the smoke in the dining room.” The smell of smoke was still evident outside, as well.

Princeton Borough Police received a call about the fire at 2:35 p.m., Lieutenant Papp reported. As officers arrived on the scene, she said, the vehicle was smoking and some flames were visible. When using a fire extinguisher from one of the patrol cars failed to put the fire out, Lieutenant Papp noted, firemen were called in.

In addition to Mr. DiLapo and Princeton Hook & Ladder, respondents included companies from Plainsboro and South Brunswick, she reported.

“It was weird,” said Zach Smith who was in his Spring Street store, Cool Vines, when the fire occurred. In his account, employees from Tico’s “called it in,” but “it took 20 minutes for two Borough police officers to arrive.”

Mr. Smith and Savory Spice Shop owner/operator Jon Hauge reported “a lot of onlookers” stopping to watch the fire and the efforts to contain it. “They were probably too close,” suggested Mr. Smith, noting that “everyone had their cell phones out.” Both stores remained open, and Mr. Smith reported “a pretty reasonable day” of business despite the temporary street closing. Ms. Papp reported that Spring Street was reopened at 5:43 p.m., after the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Ms. Geter said that she and a friend had gone into Chuck’s Spring Street Café. After 15 minutes, they emerged to see the smoking car. Fire Inspector DiLapo was not able to determine the cause of of the fire because of the extent of the damage to the car, which was described as “beyond repair.”

Fire Department officials said that they had no information to report and referred queries about the fire to the Borough Police.