Videos Show Aftermath of Philadelphia Highway Collapse Following Truck Fire

A portion of a major interstate highway collapsed in Philadelphia on Sunday, with videos later emerging on Twitter showing the fiery aftermath.

At around 6:30 a.m. local time, according to local officials, a portion of the Interstate-95 highway collapsed in Northeast Philadelphia, causing major disruption to a vital travel and commuting artery in the city. The collapse was reportedly caused by a truck that caught fire underneath the northbound portion of the road at a point between the exits for Woodhaven and Aramingo, according to NBC Philadelphia. Officials added that the southbound lane, which did not collapse, was structurally compromised by the fire. The roadway has been closed off between exits 25 and 32.

I-95 is a massive multistate highway that runs along almost the entire length of the East Coast, from Miami to the border of Canada near the town of Houlton in Northern Maine. Along the way, it passes through major metro areas like New York City; Boston; Baltimore; Jacksonville, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; Wilmington, Delaware; Savannah, Georgia; and, Washington, D.C.

The collapse in Philadelphia is expected to cause a major travel disruption to traffic for an unforeseeable amount of time, with officials Sunday warning travelers and commuters to stay away from the stretch of road and that repairs will take considerable time to complete. In the city, I-95 runs along the Delaware River to the east, making it an important roadway for commuters traveling from New Jersey in addition to city residents.

At a press conference later in the day, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that a vehicle with a driver inside was still stuck under the debris, and that first responders are working to free them. No other injuries or deaths have been reported at this time.

In the wake of the collapse, numerous videos and images began to circulate on social media showing the extent of the damage. In many, it can be seen that the entire portion of the northbound lane that passed over another section of road had collapsed, breaking into pieces at one end. Others showed fires under the debris still burning, with city fire officials reporting that flames were exploding out of manholes in the area.

Local reporter Sharrie Williams added that the truck that caught fire is believed to have been a tanker carrying around 8,500 gallons of fuel.

Governor Shapiro said on Twitter that he has been briefed on the incident and that his office is working to figure out how best to approach the situation. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg also confirmed that he and his department are monitoring the situation and are in communication with Shapiro and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) to offer "help with recovery and reconstruction."

Newsweek reached out to the office of the mayor via email for comment.

Update 6/11/2023, 4:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Kenney's office.

Update 6/11/2023, 5:49 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from a press conference.