Visuals confirmed flames and billowing smoke coming from the crumbled part

Washington:

A hearth precipitated a part of a busy US freeway overpass to break down in Philadelphia early Sunday, authorities stated, as experiences attributed the accident to an oil tanker that burst into flames below the bridge.

The collapse took out 4 site visitors lanes alongside an elevated part of the closely traveled motorway, although no accidents have been instantly reported.

Images broadcast on tv confirmed flames and billowing smoke coming from the crumbled part of Interstate 95 within the northeastern metropolis’s Tacony neighborhood, with components of the elevated roadway having fallen onto the lanes beneath.

BREAKING: Fuel tanker explodes on Philadelphia freeway, inflicting a complete overpass to break down. pic.twitter.com/iwRVgxJZ41

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) June 11, 2023

A metropolis spokeswoman informed AFP {that a} “large fire under I-95” precipitated the freeway to break down, however didn’t attribute it to any car. She stated the hearth has been declared “under control.”

VIDEO/BREAKING: SkyFOX over the part of northbound I-95 that has collapsed in Philadelphia close to the Cottman Ave exit. A tanker truck within the underpass beneath 95 precipitated the North lanes above to break down & South have buckled down too. pic.twitter.com/0aIqreRlzI

— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) June 11, 2023

Local media reported the hearth began round 7:00 am (0300 GMT), when Sunday site visitors is usually gentle.

The north-south freeway — one of many busiest within the United States, connecting Maine to Florida and main cities alongside the East Coast — remained closed in each instructions within the Philadelphia space, officers stated.

“I-95 will be impacted for a long time, for a long time,” Philadelphia Managing Director Tumar Alexander informed a information convention, in keeping with The Philadelphia Inquirer.

City authorities issued a collection of alerts on Twitter a couple of tanker truck fireplace on the freeway, which native media reported caught fireplace beneath the bridge, apparently inflicting the collapse.

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