A fiery crash involving tanker carrying gas closes I-95 in Connecticut in both directions

NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — Either side of I-95, the East Coast’s important north-south freeway, had been shut down in southwestern Connecticut — inflicting “horrendous” site visitors jams — following an early morning crash Thursday involving a passenger automotive, a tractor-trailer and a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons (about 32,000 liters) of gasoline.

Connecticut Ned Lamont stated there have been no critical accidents. Nevertheless, he warned of huge site visitors jams close to the Norwalk crash website and urged drivers to keep away from the world or keep house.

Textual content alerts had been despatched to residents of Connecticut and New York, and trucking firms had been notified to seek out various routes and technique of journey, he stated. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has additionally been notified.

“I do know what an unbelievable inconvenience that is for individuals and all I can ask you to do is keep away from that space as finest you possibly can,” he stated throughout a briefing in Hartford. “The site visitors jams are horrendous.”

The crash was harking back to final yr’s lethal accident in Philadelphia alongside I-95 when a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline misplaced management and caught fireplace, destroying a piece of the freeway. In Thursday’s accident, the overpass has been broken however gave the impression to be “steady and protected,” stated Scott Hill, chief engineer for the Connecticut Division of Transportation.

Hill stated the police investigation into the 5:30 a.m. crash must be completed earlier than the state can absolutely assess the injury. Utility wires had been downed, and crews want to complete their work as nicely.

“Gasoline can actually warmth up and warmth the bridge up and trigger the metal to deform,” he stated. “As soon as we work out every little thing that’s related to the security of the touring public and what we are able to and might’t do, we’ll get extra updates to you.”