NORWALK, Conn. – A tanker truck completely filled with gasoline smashed into a tractor-trailer and burst into a massive inferno Thursday morning on Interstate 95 in Connecticut. The heat intensity from the blaze melted an overpass that will now be demolished.
The fire erupted about 5:30 a.m. and continued to burn for about three hours before it was finally brought under control. Consequently, the blaze shut down both sides of the highway, which is a major East Coast artery that links New York and New England, reported the New York Post.
The tanker carrying approximately 8,500 gallons of fuel struck the truck as well as a passenger vehicle near the Fairfield Avenue overpass.
“The heat from the burning fuel compromised some of the bridge, so that bridge is going to have to come down and that demolition is going to start first thing tomorrow morning,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said later Thursday.
Lamont further stated the area of the interstate impacted by the fire will remain closed through at least Monday as the road also needs to be repaved.
Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto noted, “The damage was pretty severe due to the amount of gasoline that was in the tanker ignited directly underneath the bridge structure. The steel did begin to overheat and warp.”
Amazingly, no one was seriously injured in the blaze, the New York Post reported.
However, commuters were backed up for miles during the morning rush. As a result, secondary routes were also jammed up. Traffic delays are expected through the weekend and motorists were advised to avoid the area.
