Part of major US highway collapses after fire in Philadelphia

Video of the scene shows a massive slab covering an entire section of northbound lanes collapsed on the roadway in northeastern Philadelphia.

A large vehicle fire under an elevated section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia caused much of it to collapse, closing the highway in both directions.

Video of the scene showed a massive slab covering an entire section of northbound lanes collapsed into the roadway in northeastern Philadelphia. Officials said there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Philadelphia Fire Department Captain Dereck Bowmer said rescue crews responding to an accident report shortly before 6:30 a.m. Sunday found heavy fire from a vehicle or vehicles.

Early reports indicated the vehicle may have been a fuel tanker, but officials said this had not yet been confirmed. The fire was reportedly under control.

I-95 is the major highway in the eastern United States, connecting major centers such as Washington DC, New York City, and Philadelphia and running all the way south to the state of Florida.

Bowmer said the northbound lanes were gone and the southbound lanes were “compromised” due to the heat of the fire.

He also said that the runoff from the fire or perhaps compromised gas lines caused underground explosions. Officials said they were also concerned about the environmental impact of runoff into the nearby Delaware River.

“Today is going to be a long day. And of course, with 95 gone north and questionable south, it’s going to be even longer,” said Dominick Mireles, director of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management.

Heavy construction equipment would be needed to begin removing the debris, he said.

The emergency management agency said other streets were closed for the response and urged people to avoid the area. They also said they plan to launch a drone to assess the damage.