I-95 shut down after fiery truck crash in Connecticut

NORWALK, Conn. -- I-95 in Norwalk, Connecticut is closed in both directions and may not reopen for days after a fuel truck crashed and burst into flames under an overpass Thursday morning.

Local roads are a chaotic mess as thousands of drivers traveling one of the busiest interstates in the U.S. are being diverted around the accident scene.

Officials called it a chain-reaction crash. Just before dawn, a car swerved in front of a truck pulling a flatbed trailer as a fuel tanker approached the Fairfield Avenue overpass just past Exit 15 south .

"To avoid it, this tractor-trailer swerved to the right and he hit the other tractor-trailer, which ripped open the back of his gasoline tanker," said Stephen Shay, with the Norwalk Fire Department.

Bridge must be demolished

Flames spread down the highway and roasted the overpass. The fire caused significant damage to the structure and the gas, phone and cable utility lines running underneath it.

"This bridge is less than 10 years old, but the damage was pretty severe due to the amount of gasoline that was in the tanker. It ignited directly underneath the bridge structure. The seal did begin to overheat and warp," a Connecticut Department of Transportation official said at a news conference . "Unfortunately it's not able to be safely reopened in either direction underneath that bridge."

The official said crews will begin work to remove the bridge as soon as possible and hoped to have the highway open by Monday morning's commute.

The closed stretch of I-95 serves 160,000 vehicles per day, according to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont's office.

Lamont said demolition of the overpass will start at 3 a.m. Friday. It is expected to take at least 24 hours.

Click here to watch Chopper 2 over the scene

"The traffic jams are horrendous"

"Thank God no serious injuries, but it has resulted in the closing of I-95 North and South and that is incredible in terms of the traffic jams and what's happening there," said Lamont.

Hours the fire was put out, the charred remnants of two trucks and a passenger vehicle sat on the shuttered highway between Exits 15 and 16.

Northbound lane closures started at Exit 13 in Darien , according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

"I know what an incredible inconvenience this is for people and all I can ask you to do is stay away from that area as best you can. The traffic jams are horrendous," said Lamont.

Drivers from Bridgeport to Port Chester, New York received text alerts to avoid I-95 and trucking companies were told to use I-87 and I-84 instead, Lamont said.

"For a lot of truckers, we are on the clock. So we can only work 14 hours and drive 11 hours. So this impact, it slows down the delivery time for our loads," said Avril Jenerette, a trucker.

Drivers should expect delays on the Merritt Parkway, which trucks are not allowed on, while crews work to clear 95.

"Our highways team is working closely with Connecticut's DOT on the tanker fire that has closed I-95 in Norwalk. Please heed local authorities on detours and avoid the area if possible. Thank you to the first responders who are dealing with the fire and keeping other drivers safe," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg posted on social media.

Thousands of gallons of fuel spilled

The truck was carrying 8,500 gallons of fuel and 75% either burned or spilled onto the highway, officials said.

Hazmat crews responded to the spill and had concerns about material getting into the Norwalk River, but testing revealed no impact on air or water quality.