Philadelphia highway collapses after vehicle engulfed by fire
- Smoke billowed from the rubble of the collapsed section of the northbound lanes of I-95, the main north-south interstate on the East Coast
- US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said the closure of I-95 will have ‘significant impacts’ on the region and the city of Philadelphia
A portion of a major US highway collapsed in Philadelphia after a vehicle caught fire underneath it, city officials said on Sunday. Officials in a statement said preliminary reports indicated that a tanker truck was involved in the fire. No injuries were reported.
Smoke billowed from the rubble of the collapsed section of the northbound lanes of I-95, the main north-south interstate on the East Coast. Video showed emergency vehicles and workers gathered in the vicinity of the huge chunk of the charred, collapsed overpass. Traffic in both directions of the eight-lane highway was halted due to concerns about the structural integrity of the remaining southbound lanes.
US President Joe Biden was briefed on the collapse and the White House has offered help to state and local officials, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said the closure of I-95 will have “significant impacts” on the region and the city of Philadelphia. Buttigieg said on Twitter that he was coordinating with regional leaders for recovery and rebuilding efforts.
This stretch of the I-95 corridor sits in the dense northeast section of Philadelphia and connects the city to its northern suburbs, like Bucks County.
On a Sunday in the summer, it is routinely used by beach goers coming home from the Jersey Shore. During the week, it is crowded with commuters and vehicles travelling to Boston, Baltimore and Washington.