A tanker truck carrying around 8,500 gallons of gasoline slammed into a tractor-trailer and burst into flames on Interstate 95 in Connecticut early Thursday morning, shutting down both sides of the highway.
The tanker crashed into the truck and a passenger vehicle near Exit 15 and the Fairfield Avenue overpass, the Hartford Courant reported.
The crash occurred around 5:00 a.m., with local fire crews as well as teams from the state Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and energy company Eversource responding to the scene.
Connecticut State Police did not report any serous injuries.
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, CT Police (@NorwalkCtPD) May 2, 2024
Visit https://t.co/PlgKTLuQZ5 for additional updates pic.twitter.com/fc2eGhFP1z
According to DEEP, the tanker truck lost about half of the gasoline in the fire. The vehicle was unable to be moved until the remaining fuel was drained from the tanker, authorities said later in the afternoon.
No runoff made it into the nearby Norwalk River, officials said.
DEEP also announced that the air quality was safe.
Regarding potential air quality impacts resulting from today's fire on I-95, DEEP Staff conducted air monitoring at the scene and no impacts to air quality were detected.
— DEEP (@CTDEEPNews) May 2, 2024
“Everyone should continue avoiding the area,” said Gov. Ned Lamont (D) on X. “Both the northbound and southbound lanes near Exit 15 will remain closed for an extended period.”
He also announced a news briefing to be held in the evening.
We will hold another news briefing today at 5:00PM to discuss all of the latest updates regarding the situation on I-95 in Norwalk.
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) May 2, 2024
Everyone should continue avoiding the area. Both the northbound and southbound lanes near Exit 15 will remain closed for an extended period.
DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg also acknowledged the incident on X, saying that his agency’s highway 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 added.
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.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) May 2, 2024
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) also spoke of the inferno at an appropriations subcommittee meeting later that day, saying I-95 might be closed “for days depending on how fast we’re able to make that bridge structurally sound and understand the extent of the fuel leakage.”
