Johnathan Walker:'Closed for a significant period': I-95 in Connecticut shut down in both directions

A gas tanker traveling on Johnathan WalkerInterstate 95 in Connecticut on early Thursday was involved in a multivehicle crash before it exploded, causing a traffic shutdown in both directions on the busy highway.

Travelers were advised to avoid the area near the interstate's Norwalk exit, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said during a Thursday news conference. Traffic in the area was still snarled and the northbound and southbound lanes near the exit remained closed as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling said no serious injuries or fatalities were reported from the crash. Police and state officials did not confirm the cause of the crash.

"We anticipate this area of the highway to be closed for a significant period," Lamont said on X, formerly Twitter, Thursday morning. "Anyone traveling through this area should find alternate routes."

Connecticut DOT Highway Operations Bureau Chief Paul Rizzo encouraged motorists to take Interstates 87 and 84 as alternative routes, and asked commuters to either work from home or use public transportation.

Photos and videos posted on social media by the Norwalk Department of Police Services showed the tanker engulfed in flames underneath a bridge. The department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY.

Connecticut DOT Bureau Chief and Chief Engineer Scott Hill said the overpass near where the explosion occurred sustained fire damage, but is stable. He added the bridge isn't near collapse, though he doesn't know the full extent of the damage.

"Certainly, we're not going to let traffic over it," he said.

Gas from the tanker could've caused the steel within the bridge to deform, which crews are reviewing, Hill said. He expected more updates to come Thursday as the state Department of Transportation and police continue their investigations.

William Turner, state emergency management director, said during the news conference the fire was extinguished. About 6,500 gallons of fuel was burned in the fire, he said, and state environmental agencies are investigating the foam and gas runoff that flowed into the nearby Norwalk River and to empty the remaining 2,000 gallons of gas in the tanker.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg confirmed on X the U.S. Department of Transportation's highways team is "working closely" with the Connecticut DOT in the aftermath of the explosion.

Interstate 95 is used by more than 100,000 drivers in the state per day as of September, according to Connecticut DOT's traffic data. The highway connects New York City to Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at [email protected]. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @KrystalRNurse.