A smoldering mailbox that triggered terror fears tested the cooperation of cops and firefighters - and came up short.
Sources said the flap erupted yesterday when the FDNY got a call of a "burning mailbox" on 40th Avenue, off 215th Place in Bayside, Queens.
Within four minutes, nine firefighters - including two chiefs and members of Engine Company 306 - showed up and spotted the smoldering green box that letter carriers use for storage. Cops rolled up about the same time.
Under newly approved mayoral protocols for handling emergencies, the NYPD has control of any incident thought to be terror-related. Fearing that to be the case, cops called Emergency Service Unit officers to take over. Fire officials balked, saying they could pry open the box and deal with the fire without any help, sources said.
Bickering ensued and the incident ended when the FDNY pried open the mailbox - before ESU cops showed up - extracted the smoldering device and let it burn out.
A 13-year-old boy was later arrested for the prank.
The NYPD refused to comment and the FDNY said officially "it was no big deal." But a fire official who asked not to be identified insisted his agency acted appropriately.
"The mailbox was smoldering before we showed up and even if there was a stick of dynamite in there, it would have already blown up by the time we showed up four minutes later," the official said.
