It may look like a scene out of downtown Beirut, but it’s actually lower Manhattan.

Shortly after dropping off a vendor and his junk goods on Canal Street, this van burst into flames and completely exploded yesterday as it rolled past Foley Square.

Robert Singleton’s creaky 11-year-old vehicle burned to a crisp, sending massive plumes of black smoke into the air near the courthouses and wreaking traffic havoc throughout the afternoon.

“I opened the door and looked and saw flames,” said Singleton, 47. “That’s when I decided it was time to get out.”

It could have been worse — since Singleton lacked the cash to pay for a full tank of gas. “That costs too much,” he said.

The fire erupted at around 1:30 p.m. after Singleton dropped off a street-vendor pal at the corner of Canal and Centre streets in Chinatown.

Singleton described his friend’s goods as “stylish sunglasses, wallets, ties, winter hats, earmuffs, things like that.”

But he swore the items are nothing like the luxury-good knockoffs that are often the target of police crackdowns.

“Oh, no brands,” Singleton said. “We don’t sell knockoffs. That would be illegal.”

Singleton was headed through Foley Square toward the Brooklyn Bridge when nearby motorists alerted him to flames spewing from the front grille of his 2001 Dodge Ram van.

The fire quickly spread from the engine, blowing out the windows and sending up a huge plume of smoke.

A big crowd of gawkers soon gathered around the van as flames and smoke shot skyward.

“Crazy,” said one onlooker.

Firefighters were able to knock the fire down quickly, but some blankets and other fabrics were left a gloppy mess.

Police, firefighters and Homeland Security officers closed down several blocks in the area for nearly two hours.

No one was hurt.