Update #2, Thursday, 6:30pm. “I95 will be closed until at least Monday morning as crews work to remove the Fairfield Ave overpass.” – Norwalk Police, via Facebook
Additional officers will be working throughout the weekend to direct traffic through various intersections. Motorists are reminded to avoid the affected areas, exercise caution and remain patient while traveling in the area.
Around 5:30pm on Thursday, Governor Lamont gave a press conference at the Emergency Operations Center in Hartford.
He said the crash involved a car, a tanker truck carrying fuel oil and a tractor trailer truck.
There were no fatalities, but I95 remained closed in both directions.
The Governor said the heat from the burning fuel damaged the bridge, compromising some of it.
The bridge will need to be demolished starting 3:00am Friday, and could take 24 hours.
From there the roadway might need to be repaved.
“If all goes well, we should have two-way commuting back on I95 as early as Monday morning, which is heroic work,” Lamont said.
“It is an emergency declaration. I filed that with the feds just in the last hour, hoping to get federal reimbursement for the bridge,” he said. “First and foremost, we have to get that bridge out of there and get two-way traffic going.”
Lamont said I-84, I-87 and the Merritt Parkway were heavy with traffic but there will be extra rail service as needed to New York and Hartford.
“If you can’t stay home, take the train, stay away from cars,” he added.
At the press conference a representative from DEEP Emergency Response Unit said they believed approximately 4,000 gallons of gasoline spilled and was burned away and approximately 4,000 gallons remained on the truck but had since been recovered from the truck.
She said they were monitoring air quality and that there was no danger due to the burning gasoline, and no danger to the Norwalk River or Norwalk Harbor.
Updated 4:20pm At about 4:15pm, Norwalk Police requested that drivers take public transportation if feasible and avoid the affected areas around Norwalk after the early morning crash and fuel tanker fire near exit 15 on I95.
Crews continue to work on I95 and the bridge and Norwalk Police are working with the CT Dept of Transportation and CT State police to reroute traffic along the impacted area of I95.
“Commercial vehicle operators are asked to monitor vehicle weight and height restrictions while navigating alternate routes,” police added.
Also ctroads.org has up to date information on closures and slowdowns throughout the state. They are recommending commercial vehicles use I84 as an alternate route to I95.
Original story, 7:58am: Both sides of I95 closed early Thursday morning after a crash and fuel tanker fire.
CT State Police said they learned around 5:30am that one or more commercial trucks and a passenger car had collided on I-95 southbound near exit 15, at the Fairfield Avenue overpass, and that vehicles were on fire.
On social media, Norwalk Police announced the truck was on fire on I-95 under the Fairfield Avenue overpass and would have an impact on local roads and cause heavy traffic delays.
Emergency Services are working to extinguish a petroleum truck on fire on I95, underneath the Fairfield Ave overpass in Norwalk. I95 is closed in the area. This will impact local roads throughout Norwalk for an extended period of time and will create heavy traffic delays. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/G8Xi6tGJ9N
— Norwalk, CT Police (@NorwalkCtPD) May 2, 2024
#CTTraffic Update: I-95 northbound and southbound in the area of Exit 15 in Norwalk will remain closed for an extended period of time. We are currently unable to anticipate the duration of this closure. Please seek alternate routes and plan for significant traffic delays.
— CT State Police (@CT_STATE_POLICE) May 2, 2024
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.