Closed For Weeks? Portion of Interstate 95 Collapses in Northeast Philly Following Truck Fire

A portion of Interstate 95 in Northeast Philly collapsed Sunday morning, and officials are concerned the roadway could be closed for weeks, which may result in historic traffic frustrations across Northeast Philly and lower Bucks County.

A tanker truck caught fire under an I-95 overpass in the Tacony Section of Philadelphia around 6:30 am on Sunday. The blaze broke out on the offramp to Cottman Ave, officials say.

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The flames spread above I-95, resulting in a collapse of the northbound lanes. The southbound lanes are also compromised.

We don't know about any injuries due to the accident nor what caused the tanker fire in the first place.

As of 11 am Sunday, all lanes of Interstate 95 remained shut down for about a 7-mile stretch between Woodhaven Road and Aramingo.

And officials are already hinting that it could take weeks for the repairs to be completed.

“I-95 will be impacted for a long time, for a long time,” Philadelphia's Managing Director Tumar Alexander, said on Sunday.

This could result in historic traffic delays across any (and all) alternate routes in our area.

As for the cleanup today, that will be an arduous process for emergency crews.

"Today is going to be a long day," Alexander said.

Emergency officials say they'll bring in more heavy equipment. They're concerned that the tanker continues to burn underneath the collapsed bridge.

Runoff from the burning truck is also causing explosions underground, as of 9 am Sunday. Philadelphia Fire Captain Derrick Bowmer told NBC 10 that fire is coming out of manholes in the area.

As for what is next, Pennsylvania's Governor Josh Shapiro says he has been briefed on the incident.

Shapiro says his office will be coordinating with partners in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and the federal government to assess the needs for the situation.