For the second time in just over a year, a busy portion of Interstate 95 in Connecticut has been shut down — possibly for days — after a tractor-trailer carrying thousands of gallons of gasoline exploded into a massive inferno Thursday morning in Norwalk.
"Emergency crews continue to work the scene of the tanker fire on I95. Our officers are working to reroute traffic throughout the city. We remind everyone to seek alternate routes and give yourself extra time to travel," Norwalk police wrote in a post on X.
According to state police, troopers responded to a report of a crash around 5:30 a.m., involving one or more trucks and another vehicle that resulted in a massive fire on I-95 southbound under an overpass in the area of exits 15 and 16.
During a press conference, Gov. Ned Lamont said, thankfully, no one was seriously injured. However, other state officials said that there was an increase in other crashes following the initial one.
FIERY CONNECTICUT FUEL TRUCK CRASH ON I-95 BRIDGE LEAVES 1 DEAD, OTHERS INJURED
"Traffic is really a nightmare down there," said Paul Rizzo, bureau chief of the state Department of Transportation.
Lamont said that both directions of the major southwestern Connecticut highway just 20 miles from the New York border will remain closed for police investigations and structural evaluations of the interstate and bridge.
"I know what an incredible inconvenience this is for people," Lamont said. "All I can ask you to do is stay away from that area the best you can. The traffic jams are horrendous."
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also acknowledged the crash, and said his team was working closely with officials to get the roadway cleared as soon as possible.
"Our highways team is working closely with Connecticut's DOT on the tanker fire that has closed I-95 in Norwalk. Please heed local authorities on detours and avoid the area if possible. Thank you to the first responders who are dealing with the fire and keeping other drivers safe," Buttigieg posted on X.
Lamont said the state is working to determine when it will be safe for the road to re-open and is encouraging travelers to use alternate routes.
In April 2023, one person was killed, and several others were injured after a truck carrying thousands of gallons of fuel rolled over on I-95 in Groton.
At the time, Lamont said that a passenger vehicle tire blew out and created a "tragic" incident that saw the tractor-trailer overturn and erupt into flames, as roughly 2,200 gallons of fuel spilled onto the roadway.
