A great Connecticut highway bridge was the scene of a fire on Friday after an accident involving fuel trucks and cars. Flames spread to get on one side of the bridge, and authorities closed Interstate 95 in both directions during the flame. According to officials, some people were hurt and the vehicle pilot passed away.
On the eastbound part of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, which spans the Thames River between New London and Groton, the accident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. The Gold Star actually consists of two roads, one for westbound traffic and the other for eastbound. Since then, the northern section has reopened.
Videos taken at the scene showed smoke and flames rising from a long paragraph of the gate and landing on the Groton part. According to Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick, flaming debris fell from the gate and set clean burns down, but nobody was hurt on the ground. Additionally, he claimed that no structures were set on fire, which went against the state police's's initial estimates.
The truck driver was killed in the collision, and many people were taken to a doctor with unidentified injuries, according to the president and fire chief of New London. There was a mortality, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The collision resulted in a significant traffic jam and threatened long-term disruptions along that section of Interstate 95, the East Coast's's primary north-south artery. A long detour is required because the closest bridge over the Thames River is located about 11 miles( 18 kilometers ) to the north.
Engineers were awaiting an all-clear from emergency personnel to start inspecting gate problems, according to Kafi Rouse, a spokesperson for the position Department of Transportation.
The reason for the incident was being looked into.
The Gold Star Memorial Bridge, the longest passenger and vehicle bridge in Connecticut at 6, 000 paws( 1,800 meters ), has undergone a significant renovation. Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, traveled to New London in January to inform the city that a new federal infrastructure act was awarding$ 158 million to speed up repairs on the northern span.
Seth Bottone, 48, was leaving function to travel from Groton to his house when he noticed the smoke and flames engulfing the gate. Bottone recorded a game of the flames while clearly in amazement.
He said," I noticed the smoke from a distance and assumed it was coming from below." As I drew nearer, I thought," Oh my goodness.
Police then ordered visitors to go around and point north, according to Bottone.
When the fireplace vehicles arrived, Angelique Feliciano, 40, had unintentionally made a right turn and ended up on the bridge. Feliciano claimed that while she has witnessed many damages in Groton, nothing comparable to the one on Friday.
She claimed that the bridge appeared to be on burning. It was frightful. I was eager to leave the gate as soon as I could.
The ships stationed at U.S. Naval Submarine Base New London must cross the Gold Star to get to the ocean because it is only a brief distance north of the gate.
According to Nina Basantes, a Navy representative, the attack had no effect on operations at the submarine base. To assist with mutual aid, the Navy dispatched three fire vehicles and a group of paramedics.
