Philadelphia highway collapse: 1 vehicle still trapped; rebuilding I-95 could take months

PHILADELPHIA — A tanker truck fire caused part of a highway to collapse in Philadelphia on Sunday morning.

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, writing on Facebook, confirmed that all lanes of Interstate 95 were shut down in both directions Sunday morning due to a fire and road collapse. Other streets in the area are closed as well for response efforts.

The fire happened around 6 a.m. on Cottman Avenue which is directly underneath the I-95 overpass, WPVI reported.

1 vehicle still trapped under rubble; no injuries reported

Update 5:16 p.m. EDT June 11: During a Sunday evening news conference, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at least one vehicle was still trapped in the rubble of northbound Interstate 95 early Sunday,

Shapiro said that he would issue a disaster declaration on Monday. He added that northbound I-95 is “completely collapsed.” The southbound lanes were also structurally unsound.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said that no injuries have been reported. He added that the fire is under control.

Shapiro said it will “take months” for I-95 to be rebuilt.

The governor added that the fire was believed to be caused by a commercial truck carrying a “petroleum-based product.”

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Quite the message after a long day in Philadelphia.
A catastrophic failure of an incinerated highway deck on I-95 will alter the commutes for tens of thousands.
The highway sees 150,000 vehicles every day in Phila.
The message for now: “Avoid Northeast Philly.” @CBSPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/BbOt0Kxtrj
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) June 12, 2023

Biden briefed about highway collapse

Update 4:56 p.m. EDT June 11: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the road collapse. She added in a tweet that White House officials have been in contact with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.

Philadelphia officials are expected to provide an update shortly.

-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

The President has been briefed on the collapse and White House officials have been in contact with Governor Shapiro and Mayor Kenney's offices to offer assistance.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) June 11, 2023

Original report: Officials said to avoid the area and plan to find alternative routes if traveling in the area.

The Philadelphia Fire Department said on Facebook the fire was under control at around 7:30 a.m.

“Today’s going to be a long day. Obviously, with 95 northbound gone and southbound questionable, it’s going to be even longer,” Dominick Mireles of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management told WPVI. Officials believe that the damage will impact the area for a while.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on Twitter he was briefed on the Interstate 95 collapse.

“State Police and PEMA (Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency) are on the scene assisting local first responders and Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation and his team are en route to assess the situation and address traffic needs,” Shapiro said.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Twitter said he has spoken with Shapiro.

“Closely monitoring the fire and collapse on I-95 in Pennsylvania. I’ve been in touch with FHWA and spoke with Gov. Shapiro to offer any assistance that USDOT can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction,” Buttigieg said.

The U.S. Coast Guard released a statement, according to CNN saying that the tanker has “a potential to spill 8500 gallons.”

“A station Philadelphia 29-foot boat was launched to the scene to observe any pollution to the waterways. They reported that there is a sheen on the water but it seems to be confined to the cove,” the Coast Guard’s statement read, according to CNN. “The substance is gasoline and the tanker has a potential to spill 8500 gallons. However, it has been reported to us that clean-up efforts are mainly shore side, meaning on land.”

No information has been released about any injuries, according to the news outlet.

The cause of the truck fire remains under investigation. It is also unclear what was in the tanker.

The I-95 collapse is similar to what Atlanta experienced in 2017 when a major section of Interstate 85 collapsed over Piedmont. Police said materials stored under the bridge caught on fire, which caused a 100-foot section to collapse.

The Georgia Department of Transportation went to work and the section of I-85 was back open again just 44 days after the fire.

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