Metro

Man dies in freak Queens car fire

A man burned to death in a freak car fire on the Grand Central Parkway on Tuesday after a piece of metal debris on the road pierced the vehicle’s gas tank and sparked a massive explosion, cops said.

The Toyota SUV was headed east on the roadway near 31st Street in Queens around 1:30 p.m. when it suddenly burst into flames, cops said.

The driver, 20, and a front-seat passenger were able to escape, but the second passenger in the back died in the blaze, cops said.

The 40-year-old victim was not immediately identified. He was pronounced dead at the scene, cops said.

The surviving passengers had minor injuries, officials said.