Gas-Filled Tanker Accident Causes Devastation on Main East Coast Highway

Pennsylvania’s top transportation official, Mike Carroll, revealed that a driver operating a tractor-trailer carrying gasoline lost control on an off-ramp, resulting in the tanker truck overturning and catching fire. This catastrophic incident caused the destruction of a significant section of the primary north-south highway on the East Coast.

Carroll provided the initial official account of the wreck, explaining that the driver was traveling northbound when they encountered difficulty navigating a curve, leading to a loss of control. The vehicle ultimately landed on its side and caused the tank to rupture.

Due to the severity of the damage, Interstate 95 will remain closed in both directions for several weeks, significantly impacting the start of the summer travel season. Carroll confirmed that both the northbound and southbound elevated portions of I-95 will need to be demolished. Transportation officials strongly advised motorists to avoid the affected area, which is located in the northeast corner of one of the country’s largest cities.

Authorities in Pennsylvania have handed over a recovered body from the wreckage to the Philadelphia medical examiner and coroner for identification. Additionally, the accident disrupted the automotive route from Canada to Florida, which passes through major metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York, and Washington. As a result, Americans will likely rely more heavily on air travel and the interstate rail network.

Numerous videos circulating on social media showed close calls involving vehicles passing through the accident site as flames engulfed the area below. In response to the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to investigate the cause.

Carroll disclosed that the damaged segment of I-95 normally handles approximately 160,000 vehicles daily. The state police have not determined if the driver was speeding, and no other vehicles were involved in the accident. Although officials have been in contact with the trucking company, they have not disclosed its identity.

The affected highway section, which is approximately 10 to 12 years old, appeared to be structurally sound, according to Carroll. He attributed the damage to the intense heat of the fire, which took about an hour to bring under control.

Governor Josh Shapiro signed a disaster declaration, granting state agencies the authority to bypass regular bidding and contracting requirements in order to expedite the bridge repair process.

After surveying the area from above, Governor Shapiro expressed astonishment at the extent of the devastation and expressed gratitude that no motorists on I-95 were injured or killed.

According to Abi Aghayere, a structural engineering professor at Drexel University, the high heat from the fire or the impact of a potential explosion could have weakened the steel beams supporting the collapsed overpass. Typically, bridges like the one affected lack fire protection measures such as concrete casing. Although they might have been coated with fire-retardant paint, it is still possible that the beams were compromised.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority announced several transportation changes in the region. They are operating three additional trains during morning and late afternoon hours on the Trenton, New Jersey line, as well as increasing capacity on regularly scheduled lines during peak hours to alleviate the traffic impact caused by the collapse.

The collapsed section of I-95 was part of a $212 million reconstruction project that concluded four years ago, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Brad Rudolph. PennDOT had rated the 104-foot span as being in “good” condition earlier this year, with the next inspection scheduled for 2025.

Governor Shapiro, a Democrat, estimated that a complete rebuild of I-95 would take several months. In the interim, officials are exploring temporary solutions to reconnect I-95 and facilitate traffic flow through the affected area.

Joseph L. Schofer, a retired professor of civil and environmental engineering from Northwestern University, pointed out a potential challenge for PennDOT in rapidly replacing the bridge—the procurement of heavy-duty steel beams measuring a hundred feet or more. Obtaining the precise specifications, either through construction records or measurements, and finding a fabricator capable of producing them may consume valuable time.

Schofer highlighted the remarkable speed at which a similar situation was resolved in Oakland, California, where a highway ramp was replaced in just 26 days. Conversely, in Atlanta, it took authorities 43 days to replace an elevated section of Interstate 85 that collapsed due to a fire, severely impacting traffic flow through the city.

Officials in Pennsylvania are also concerned about the environmental consequences of runoff into the nearby Delaware River. In response to the sighting of a sheen in the river near the collapse site, the Coast Guard deployed a boom to contain the material. Ensign Josh Ledoux stated that the tanker had a capacity of 8,500 gallons (32,176 liters), but the contents did not appear to be spreading into the environment.

Reported by Catalini from Trenton, New Jersey, and Levy from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• National Transportation Safety Board
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
• Coast Guard