A section of the American highway I-95 collapsed Sunday in Philadelphia after a fire, apparently without causing any victims, said a spokeswoman for this city in the eastern United States. “This morning, a major fire under I-95 (…) caused the highway to collapse,” said Sarah Peterson in a statement sent to AFP.
The fire of a vehicle, at the origin of the disaster according to the city authorities, is now under control and this expressway has been closed by the police in both directions in the immediate vicinity of the accident. “City and state departments are working to address the impact on area residents and travelers affected by the road closure,” the spokeswoman said.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Footage from local TV stations showed a vast cloud of black smoke from the blaze, as well as the four lanes of this section of the freeway dipping steeply towards the lesser road that runs underneath at this exact spot.
The I-95 freeway is a major traffic artery on the east coast of the United States. Its more than 3,000 kilometers connect the state of Maine, in the extreme northeast of the country, to Miami, Florida’s largest city, in the southeast. Philadelphia officials said at a Sunday morning news conference that the highway could be closed for several weeks.
No casualties have been reported so far.