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A massive tanker truck fire forced the closure of a section of Interstate Highway 95 in northeast Philadelphia after an elevated portion of the roadway collapsed, officials said Sunday morning.
The collapse was caused by a tanker truck fire burning under an on-ramp. Officials told the local station they were not sure what kind of truck it was and that they had not been able to search for a driver inside.
There were 8,500 gallons of gasoline in the tanker, according to a spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard. The military branch sent a boat to the scene to examine the impact on the water, but it seems no gasoline has made it to the Delaware River.
There was some “sheening,” an iridescent appearance on the surface of the water, but it appeared confined to a nearby cove, the spokesperson said.
All lanes of the highway are shut down between the Woodhaven and Aramingo exits, the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management said in a tweet Sunday morning.
“The roadway is gone,” unnamed officials told NBC Philadelphia.
Runoff from fuel or gas lines from the burning truck has also caused explosions underground, Philadelphia Fire Department Capt. Derrick Bowmer told reporters.
“We will be here for a while,” he said. “We have fire coming out of those manholes.”
A video posted on social media early Sunday captured by a driver appeared to show plumes of black smoke rising above the highway.
Bowmer said that officials received a call about an accident at 6:22 a.m., but it was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.
In a tweet, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told locals to avoid the area and plan for alternate travel routes, and thanked first responders for their work.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a tweet he has been briefed by officials and that first responders and transportation officials were on the scene. Shapiro added that he and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis were “closely coordinating” with officials in the state, throughout New Jersey and in the federal government.
“For now, please avoid the area and follow the direction of the first responders on the scene,” Shapiro wrote.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the collapse and has been in touch with Shapiro and the Philadelphia mayor’s office, according to a tweet from the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted he was “closely monitoring” the situation and coordinating with officials on the response.
“I’ve been in touch with [the Federal Highway Administration] and spoke with Gov. Shapiro to offer any assistance that USDOT can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction,” he tweeted.
The National Transportation Safety Board was also monitoring the situation and gathering information.
A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Emergency Agency directed questions to local officials.
A spokesperson for the state police told NBC News in a statement that the agency is working with Philadelphia police to control and re-route traffic.
Representatives for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Fire Department and the mayor’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Jay Blackman, Austin Mullen and Doha Madani contributed.
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