A collision between a car and a fuel delivery truck in Connecticut on Friday sparked a massive blaze on a major highway bridge, temporarily shutting down Interstate 95 as firefighters worked to contain a fire that jump onto adjoining land.
“This was a tragic accident at 11:15 this morning,” Governor Ned Lamont said on Friday during a press conference. “It looks like a passenger vehicle tire blew out, creating an incident” with "billowing smoke, incredible flames, pouring right down through the pipes, spilling out into the Thames River,” he added.
The driver of the truck was killed in the crash, while two people suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to officials.
"My heart goes out to the family of the truck driver,” said on Friday.
The incident occurred on the southbound side of Gold Star Memorial Bridge between New London and Groton, Connecticut, a busy corridor through which 60,000 vehicles often pass daily.
“I saw the smoke from a distance, thought it was something from underneath,” Seth Bottone, 48, told news station WCVB. “As I got closer, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’”
The Navy, which has a submarine base nearby, sent teams of firefighters to assist with the containment effort, and environmental crews worked Friday to remove contaminants from the Thames.
By Friday evening, traffic reopened on both sides of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.
There is no damage to the steel structure of the bridge, according to officials.
