I-95 In Philadelphia Could Be Closed for Months After Gas Tanker Fire Collapses Highway

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A section of Interstate 95 that runs through Philadelphia will be closed for months, after a fire triggered by a tanker truck reportedly carrying 87 octane gasoline caused a section of the important highway to collapse.

No injuries to other motorists are reported as a result of the collapse, or the fire, which sent enormous plumes of black smoke billowing into the skies above Philadelphia. The tanker truck was crushed under the collapsing road, though. It is unclear if anyone was caught inside the vehicle.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and authorities are trying to wrap their heads around the extent of the damage. However, we know that the northbound side of I-95 was the one that collapsed. The southbound lanes were also damaged by the intensity of the fire, and are “not structurally sound to carry any traffic,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told CNN.

Read: NYC Parking Garage Collapses In Lower Manhattan Leaving 1 Dead And Many Injured

Indeed, Shapiro said that the section of I-95 damaged in the blaze will need to be completely rebuilt, and his office expects that process to take “some number of months.” However, he plans to issue a disaster declaration to “expedite this process,” and was assured by federal Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that the White House will support the rebuilding of this “critical roadway.”

The damage will be a problem for commuters, as the I-95 is one of the busiest corridors on the East Coast. An average of more than 160,000 vehicles travel across the section of the highway that was destroyed, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Alternate routes have been provided for commuters this morning, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has added capacity to allow more people to utilize public transit, but severe traffic in the area surrounding I-95 was reported this morning.

Meanwhile, fuel that was being hauled in the 8,500-gallon (32,176-liter) tanker was seen leaking into storm drains and gasoline sheen was reported on the water in the nearby Delaware River. However, authorities say that the leak has been contained and that the water is safe to use. The U.S. Coast Guard is on the scene, and is working with the Philadelphia Water Department to keep an eye on other environmental impacts of this accident.

In the aftermath of the incident, Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt is traveling to Philadelphia today to offer federal support, reports ABC. A preliminary report on the incident written by the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to be available in two to three weeks.