A busy stretch of Interstate 95 in Connecticut was cut short after a tractor-trailer carrying thousands of gallons of gasoline exploded Thursday morning in Norwalk, causing a massive inferno. For the second time in just over a year, the road has been closed, likely for several days.
Norwalk Police Department said in a post on We are asking everyone to please allow sufficient time for travel.” .
According to state police, troopers responded to a report of a crash involving one or more trucks and another vehicle around 5:30 a.m. on Interstate 95 southbound at Exit 15. A large-scale fire broke out under the overpass near Exit 16.
Governor Ned Lamont said at a press conference that, fortunately, no one was seriously injured. But other state officials said other accidents have increased following the first one.
Fiery Connecticut fuel truck crashes on Interstate 95 bridge, kills 1, injures others
Both sides of Interstate 95 in Norwalk will be closed for an extended period after a violent crash Thursday morning, officials said. (FOX61)
“The traffic situation there is just a nightmare,” said Paul Rizzo, director of the state Department of Transportation.
Lamont said the highway in southwestern Connecticut, just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the New York state line, will remain closed in both directions as police investigate and assess the structure of the interstate and bridge.
“I know what an incredible inconvenience this is for people,” Lamont said. “All I can ask you to do is stay out of the area as much as possible. The traffic is terrible.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed the accident and said his team would work closely with authorities to clear the road as quickly as possible.
“Our highway team is working closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation regarding the tanker fire that closed Interstate 95 in Norwalk. Please avoid the area. Thank you to the first responders working to fight and maintain the fire. “The other driver was unhurt,” Buttigieg posted on X.
A freight train carrying gasoline and propane derails near the Arizona-New Mexico line due to bad weather.
Lamont said the state is working to determine when roads can safely reopen and is encouraging travelers to use alternative routes.
In April 2023, a truck carrying thousands of gallons of fuel overturned on Interstate 95 in Groton, killing one person and injuring several others.
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At the time, Lamont said the “tragic” incident occurred when a passenger car suffered a flat tire, a tractor-trailer overturned and burst into flames, spilling about 2,200 gallons of fuel onto the road.
