A fiery tanker truck crash that melted a bridge and closed a 1,5km stretch of interstate highway between New York and Boston will likely snarl traffic for weeks, officials say.
The truck carrying 45 425 liters of fuel oil collided with a car on Thursday night, sparking a huge fire that severely damaged both sides of the overpass where the accident happened. The truck driver and a firefighter were slightly injured.
State troopers were still at the scene of the accident early on Friday.
Witnesses said they heard explosions and saw a gigantic fireball shoot into the sky. Traffic was backed up for kilometres in both directions on the stretch of highway that handles nearly 120 000 vehicles a day.
State police Sergeant J Paul Vance said the northbound and southbound lanes between two exits in Bridgeport were to be closed indefinitely as engineers determine whether the overpass needs to be completely rebuilt.
”It could have been a lot worse, but tomorrow’s rush hour is going to be a nightmare,” Governor John G Rowland said on Thursday night.
The fire was so hot it damaged the steel support beams that carry both sides of the highway over an avenue, authorities said.
The overpass, which was new, sagged several feet.
”Once it sagged, it made a pool of burning fuel oil,” said Wallace Thomas, Bridgeport’s deputy fire chief. The fire was contained after nearly three hours.
The truck’s driver was treated at a hospital and released, and a firefighter who was overcome by fumes was hospitalised for observation. — Sapa-AP