A section of I-95 in Philadelphia collapsed after a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline crashed and turned over on a northbound exit ramp. The resulting fire and smoke were seen from miles around and knocked one of the most congested roads in the country out of commission for months.
Multiple videos from passers-by show the extensive flames and the failing highway moments before its collapse. Amazingly, there have yet to be any injuries reported.
“It felt like you drove off a curb,” Mike Fusetti, one of those drivers, told CNN. “I see 95 – all of the cars stopping and then I learned, shortly after that the road had just collapsed and what was really going on.”
With the tanker located underneath the highway, firefighters reportedly had difficulty combating the blaze.
“It looked like we had a lot of heat and heavy fire underneath the underpass,” Philadelphia Fire Department Battalion Chief Derek Bowmer said.
Explosions from nearby fuel and gas lines also might have been responsible for helping bring down the highway.
State and federal assistance has been provided to help with I-95’s cleanup and rebuilding efforts, but officials claim it may take months before both sides of the highway are re-opened. According to the head of the National Transportation Safety Board Jennifer Homendy, the bridge’s design is also under evaluation.
The accident is under investigation, and Homendy stated that crews will know more once they reach the tanker’s cab. In the meantime, get ready for crappy Philly traffic to get even worse.
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