Mount Vernon's mayor and comptroller are blaming each other's for the city's lackluster response to Thursday's powerful snowstorm.

A car fire in Mount Vernon Thursday night ended with an explosion. Mount Vernon DPW Commissioner Mark Ederer says two foremen had just exited the department-owned car before it went up in flames.

It's just one example of how the deterioration of resources hampered the city's response to the storm that dropped about 6 inches of snow on Mount Vernon.

Only five of Mount Vernon's 10 DPW snowplows and sand and salt trucks were in commission Thursday.

One Mount Vernon resident spent eight hours in traffic trying to get home.

Mayor Richard Thomas points the blame at Comptroller Deborah Reynolds for not footing the bills to pay for parts needed to repair the trucks.

Reynolds says she pays the bills and has the statements to prove it. She says if there are any unpaid bills, it's because Thomas' office hasn't filed them.

Thomas disagrees. On Friday, he used his authority to lease 22 trucks for DPW at the cost of $18,000 a month. The trucks would come in handy for the next snowstorm.

Drivers say they hope it helps their commute.