Interstate-95 in Norwalk, Connecticut, has been closed in both directions indefinitely following a crash involving a fuel tanker that caught fire beneath an overpass. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced the closure of this major transportation route linking New England and New York.
The incident occurred early in the morning in a chain-reaction collision when a car suddenly changed lanes in front of a truck pulling a flatbed trailer. At the same time, a fuel tanker was getting closer to the Fairfield Avenue overpass bridge, just after Exit 15 South. This involved a three-vehicle collision, resulting in a fire.
Norwalk Fire Department's Stephen Shay told CBS that the tractor-trailer swerved to the right and he hit the other tractor-trailer, which “ripped open the back of his gasoline tanker”.
Although no serious injuries were reported, the accident caused damage to the bridge over the highway, forcing the authorities to close it, and leading to significant traffic disruptions.
Governor Lamont stated that the demolition would start “first thing tomorrow morning” as “the heat from the burning fuel compromised some of the bridge", as per AP.
He has declared a state of emergency as drivers now face challenges navigating detours, leading to traffic standstills and business slowdowns. According to the Governor's office, the closed section of I-95 typically served 1,60,000 vehicles per day.
The Governor said that it would impact the local merchants, adding he was worried about “supply chain issues.”
A spokesperson from the Connecticut Department of Transportation revealed at a press conference that despite the bridge being less than a decade old, the severity of the fire directly beneath it led to significant damage.
The heat caused the bridge's seal to warp, rendering it unsafe for traffic in either direction. The intense heat from the flames also affected the structure and utility lines of the bridge, including gas, phone, and cable, passing beneath it.
Bill Turner, the state's emergency management director, said that alerts would be sent to anyone in the affected area, urging them to avoid the vicinity for safety reasons.
