Crews returned to Norwalk on Saturday to finish demolishing a bridge in Connecticut that was severely damaged by fire after a tanker truck loaded with gasoline crashed and burst into flames on Interstate 95.
Both sides of the highway remain closed between Exit 14 and Exit 16 as crews remove the Fairfield Avenue bridge that melted under the intense heat of the gasoline fire.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said sections of the highway will remain closed until at least Monday.
State installs live webcam View demolition work in progress in real time. By late Saturday, the entire span was gone and crews were working to remove remaining debris from the road. On the left side of the screen, I saw a line of cars on the side road of the highway.
Workers first arrived at the unstable overpass around 3 a.m. on Friday, the day after the fire.
Due to the closure of I-95; 13 mile backup Drivers were trying to find an alternative route around the accident scene.
Significant delays were also reported on northbound and surrounding roads, and backups were disrupted on local streets in Norwalk, Westport, Darien and Stamford.
Norwalk Mayor Harry W. Rilling said the accident occurred when the tanker collided with another commercial vehicle, which then collided with a passenger car.
“We are extremely grateful that no one was seriously injured,” Rilling said, praising state and local officials for their quick efforts to extinguish the fire. The Hartford Courant reported.
NBC ConnecticutState Police reported that a Chevrolet Camaro traveling south on Interstate 95 from Route 7 collided with the front of a refueling truck traveling in the right lane.
The tanker truck then veered into the center lane and collided with a trailer.
The fuel truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline at the time of the accident, causing a huge fireball.
Schools were closed in Norwalk on Friday, and Lamont asked drivers to stay away from the area throughout the weekend to allow easier access for crews.
