A major highway collapses in Philadelphia, affecting the eastern United States

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a Sunday afternoon news conference that no one traveling on Interstate 95 was injured, but officials were working.Identify people caught in the fire.

The fire broke out in the concerned tanker around 6:20 a.m., when Sundays are usually less traffic at this time.

Dramatic footage from local TV stations showed a huge cloud of black smoke from the blaze, as well as four lanes of this stretch of freeway plummeting towards a minor road running below.

It was on this secondary road that the truck caught fire.

This morning, a large fire under I-95 […] The highway collapsedPhiladelphia mayor’s spokeswoman Sarah Peterson confirmed in a statement to AFP.

Firefighters They reached the place and found it […] Large fire from vehiclePhiladelphia Fire Department Capt. Derek Pomer said during a press conference.

Wanted driver

The I-95 freeway is a major highway along the East Coast of the United States. It closed at the northeastern gateway to Philadelphia, a city of about 1.5 million people, promising to severely disrupt traffic to and from New York.

Its more than 3000 km distance connects the state of Maine in the northeast of the country with Miami, the largest city in Florida, in the southeast.

It is a major artery for people and goods, and its closure until reconstruction is complete will have significant consequences for the city and region.US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted.

Stating that the vehicle that caused the fire was a tank truck, the minister thanked the firemen and other rescue workers.

Local media reported that Philadelphia police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were searching for the driver of the truck, whose whereabouts were unknown.

Expect backlash

It may take weeks to replace the damaged part Significant impact on regional transport.

I-95 will be affected for a long, long timeTumar Alexander, general manager of Philadelphia services, quoted Philadelphia Inquirer.

City and State Services [de Pennsylvanie] They are working to address the impact of the road closure on residents and commutersSarah Peterson, spokeswoman for the city, promised.

Governor Shapiro, for his part, said he would sign a disaster declaration on Monday to free up funds for repairs.

US President Joe Biden has been informed of the situation and his teams are in contact with local authorities to offer assistance, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.

Residents told local media that they heard several explosions, but there were no casualties so far.

The fire was brought under control by morning and police closed the highway in both directions near the crash, a city spokesman said.