PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A portion of Interstate 95 in Northeast Philadelphia collapsed Sunday morning after a large vehicle fire. The fire started under the overpass near the Cottman Avenue exit around 6:30 a.m., police said.
Investigators theorize a fuel tanker is the source of the fire that destabilized and brought down an entire portion of the northbound lanes, according to sources.
The southbound side of the interstate has also been compromised due to the blaze.
Flames could be seen shooting up from the roadway Sunday morning. Thick black smoke filled the sky and traffic was stopped in that area.
What part of I-95 is closed?
A two-mile radius of I-95 is closed in both directions from Allegheny and Castor Avenue (Exit 25) to Academy Road and Linden Avenue (Exit 32). The fuel tanker caught fire on Princeton Avenue near the I-95 Cottman Avenue on-ramp.
This area of I-95, according to federal transportation records, carries 125,000 vehicles a day on average, and is a main arterial roadway in the U.S. that goes north and south along the east coast.
Flames could be seen shooting up from the roadway Sunday morning. Thick black smoke filled the sky and traffic was stopped in that area.
Tumar Alexander from the City of Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office said it will be a long time to address this roadway collapse.
Detour Options/ How to get around I-95 closure
Drivers are being asked to avoid the area. Those who were on the interstate were forced to turn around.
CBS News Traffic Reporter Chandler Lutz said this is going to cause major traffic issues for the foreseeable future.
Lutz said Exit 26 was closed off, which is the Bridgeview exit, as part of the I-95 reconstruction project.
Roosevelt Boulevard (Route 1) is your best bet to get around the road closure, Lutz said. Torresdale Avenue is also an alternate route.
If you’re heading into New Jersey, you can use Route 130 or 295. The Ben Franklin Bridge is also back open after it was temporarily shut down Sunday morning due to a bike-a-thon event. If you’re traveling northbound on I-95, you can still use the Betsy Ross Bridge exit (Exit 26). However, if you’re traveling from the Besty Ross to I-95, that area is blocked off.
Those who planned to travel on I-95 from the south should consider the Delaware Memorial Bridges or New Jersey Turnpike.
Avoid manholes in the area
Several explosions were also heard in the area, sending manhole tops “flipping like coins” into the air, CBS News Philadlephia’s Madeline Wright said.
Environmentally, its tough to contain some of these volatile chemicals and flammable toxins when there is a fire still burning in that area, CBS New Philadelphia’s Joe Holdens added. Several sewer systems and a water treatment center are in the area, and if the burning taker ruptured, it could leak into the Delaware River.
Federal officials are responding to the scene.
There is also an environmental concern, officials said. The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring for any potential fuel from the vehicle that may leak into the Delaware River.
Air Quality Concerns
Winds are blowing off to the north, which will carry the smoke toward the north and east.
The fire is adding dangerous chemicals — such as acids, sulfates and nitrates — into the air, which are very dangerous to breathe in. Particulate matter, such as metals, soot, dust, tar and oil, are also posing air quality concerns.
Meteorologist Tammie Souza said you may notice a greasy, oily film on things from the huge smoke plume.
She said that if you’re to the north or east, it is recommended to stay indoors, as the region was also expected to already have unhealthy air quality levels Sunday due to smoke from the Canadian wildfire that we have been experiencing all week.
As of 7:30 a.m., officials said the fire was out but it appears some spots are flaring back up.
Sources said the tons of rubble and burning fire are hampering their efforts to make a positive determination, per a conference call with key stakeholders.
Crews are working to assess the damage left behind.
Injuries are unknown at this time, fire officials said in a press conference, as they have not been able to get close enough to the source of the fire to assess if anyone was in the vehicle when it started. However, officials also said there are no concerns for neighbors and no other drivers were injured.
1996 Tire Fire
In 1996, there was an eerily similar incident near Bridge Street when an arsonist started a massive tire fire that closed the highway for weeks and cause a transportation nightmare in the Philadelphia area.
Local and Federal Response
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he was briefed on the incident and is coordinating with partners in Philadelphia, New Jersey, as well as the federal government.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also tweeted that is closely monitoring the situation and has offered Gov. Shapiro “any assistance that USDOT can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction.”
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kennedy said he is grateful for the city’s first responders in helping keep everyone safe.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
