US: Philadelphia Bridge Collapses, Closes Major Highway

On the morning of June 11, authorities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the northeastern United States, said an elevated section of Interstate-95 (I-95) collapsed due to a truck catching fire underneath.

An I-95 overpass collapsed, severely affecting traffic in one of the most densely populated areas of the United States for months.

“Crews arrived on scene and found a heavy fire from an unidentified truck,” said Philadelphia Fire Department Captain Derrick Bowmer. Initial reports suggested the vehicle was a fuel tanker, but authorities have not confirmed that.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a team to investigate the fuel tanker fire and the overpass collapse.

The fire severely weakened a four-lane northbound overpass, causing a large section to collapse. Authorities said they were searching for the driver of the burned-out vehicle, who was no longer at the scene when police arrived.

Authorities fear major environmental damage to the area including toxins leaching into the nearby Delaware River.

Residents in the Tacony neighborhood of northeast Philadelphia heard multiple explosions after the initial crash. Fire officials said the explosions could have been caused by gas leaking from the crash or an underground gas line bursting.

In addition to smoke from the fires, officials fear toxic substances could seep into the ground and the Delaware River, causing further environmental damage.

A lifeline, I-95 is the major north-south highway in the eastern United States, connecting cities along the East Coast from Maine to Florida.

A bridge collapse forced the closure of Interstate 95 in both directions near Philadelphia, sure to create traffic congestion as the U.S. summer travel season gets underway.

“Please plan and seek alternate travel routes,” the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management advised on Twitter.

“I-95 is going to be impacted for a long time,” Philadelphia Superintendent Tumar Alexander said at a press conference Sunday.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the freeway closure would have a “significant impact” in and around the Philadelphia area and that the Department of Transportation would “provide the necessary support to help restore and rebuild the region’s transportation operations.”

The White House also said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and is in contact with state and local officials to offer assistance.

Thousands of tons of debris will have to be cleared before officials can assess the damage and plan reconstruction for northbound and possibly southbound sections of the highway.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said repairs would take "several months."

In 1996, a similar fire, caused by illegal tire burning, damaged a section of I-95 in Philadelphia, forcing the highway to close for weeks and a section of it to close for six months.

According to Justice

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