Part of Interstate 95 collapses in Philadelphia after tanker truck fire
A portion of I-95 in Philadelphia has reportedly collapsed after a tanker truck caught fire underneath an overpass. (Credit: James F. Devito)
The shutdown of Interstate 95 outside of Philadelphia is causing massive delays for drivers on Sunday, and the slowdown is sure to persist into the work week.
Traffic reports from around Philadelphia show large backups in side streets surrounding the collapsed freeway. I95Exitguide provides live updates to traffic conditions around the city, and areas of stop-and-go traffic are littered around the freeway.
The conditions are sure to worsen as the work week begins on Monday morning and commuters are forced into alternate routes.
The collapsed section of the freeway will take weeks, if not months, to repair, meaning workers may have to simply get used to longer commutes.
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All lanes of I-95 were closed in both directions between Woodhaven and Aramingo exits early Sunday due to a fire and subsequent road collapse, officials said. (Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management)
The partial collapse of the roadway happened after a tanker truck fire started underneath an overpass and spread to the above lanes, FOX29 Philadelphia reported, citing officials. The fire was extinguished around 7:30 a.m., though crews remained at the scene to assess the damage.
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Local media reported that several explosions were heard in the area, with WPVI-TV stating that manhole covers had been seen exploding.
A tanker fire on I-95 caused a partial collapse of the highway in Philadelphia, PA. (James F. Devito)
Some streets around I-95 remained closed as of noon on Sunday as first responders and other officials surveyed the scene.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says he was briefed on the collapse early Sunday morning.
"Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and I are closely coordinating with partners in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and the federal government and we will share more information as we have it," Shapiro said in a statement. "For now, please avoid the area and follow the direction of the first responders on the scene."
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Fire crews were working on a portion of I-95 in North Philadelphia that collapsed during a large fire early Sunday. (FOX29 Philadelphia WTXF)
Sunday's incident comes decades after another incident that saw I-95 burst into flames when a tanker truck flipped over and exploded, dumping 8,700 pounds of flaming fuel onto the highway. That incident killed two people.
Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
