The Lai Thai food cart in SW Portland caught fire this afternoon.
The Lai Thai food cart in SW Portland caught fire this afternoon. Doug Brown

A food cart in Southwest Portland went up in flames this afternoon, sending fire and huge plumes of smoke into the sky. Witnesses say the Lai Thai food cart at SW 1st and Columbia caught fire shortly after 3 pm. Bystanders heard booms coming from the blaze, apparently from exploding fuel canisters .

The cause of the fire wasn't immediately apparent. It's been put out.

Here's videos!

Check out the 4:50 mark of this video to see a large explosion, after which the fire (further) expands to nearby cars.