In Philadelphia, a section of I-95 collapsed due to a fire

The collapse occurred around 6:15 a.m. Sunday, when a tanker truck crashed at an exit under northern I-95. A passing tanker contained an oil product that could contain hundreds of gallons of gasoline.

According to Derek Bowmer, a Philadelphia fire battalion commander, the explosion caused the northern lanes of I-95 to collapse and the southern lanes to be “compromised” by the heat from the fire.

Mark Fusetti, a retired Philadelphia police sergeant, said he was driving south toward the city’s airport when he noticed thick black smoke rising from the highway. According to him, when he drove past the fire, the road under him began to “fail”.

The fact that the collapse occurred on a Sunday has helped ease traffic congestion, but traffic will now increase significantly on all bypasses.

Drivers are being warned of significant delays and street closures, and are being urged to avoid the area in the northeast part of the city. All the drivers are sent on a 43-mile detour.

Fortunately, most drivers traveling along the I-95 corridor between Delaware and New York use the New Jersey Turnpike, not the section of the interstate where the collapse occurred.

The collapsed section of I-95 was part of a $212 million renovation project that ended four years ago. It carries approximately 160,000 vehicles per day each year and is the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called I-95 “a major artery for people and goods” and said that the closure of the section would have “a significant impact on the city and region until reconstruction and restoration is completed.”