A section of the I-95 freeway collapsed in Philadelphia on Sunday after a fire, apparently causing no fatalities, a spokeswoman for this eastern US city said.
“This morning, a large fire under I-95 (…) caused the highway to collapse,” Sarah Peterson said in a statement sent to AFP. The fire in a vehicle, the origin of the incident according to the city authorities, is already under control and this expressway has been closed by the police in both directions in the vicinity of the accident.
No casualties have been reported so far. “City and state departments are working to address the impact on area residents and travelers affected by the highway closure,” the spokeswoman said.
A shutdown of several weeks to come
Footage from local television stations showed a large cloud of black smoke from the fire, as well as all four lanes of this section of highway sloping steeply down toward the minor highway that runs below at this exact point.
Highway I-95 is a major traffic artery on the east coast of the United States. Its more than 3,000 kilometers connect the state of Maine, in the extreme northeast of the country, with Miami, the largest city in Florida, in the southeast.
Philadelphia officials said at a news conference Sunday morning that the freeway could be closed for several weeks.
Source: BFM TV
