The fire that caused part of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia to collapse on Sunday was caused by a truck that was carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline, according to reports.
The driver of the commercial truck lost control and crashed, resulting in a large fire that destroyed an elevated section of the highway in the Tacony district of Philadelphia, according to CNN.
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The collapse of the affected section of the highway has caused major travel disruptions due to the loss of a key East Coast route.
“The interstate is still closed in both directions in this area,” the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said in a press release Monday morning. “Demolition of the collapsed bridges has begun and detours are in place.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) signed a proclamation of disaster emergency on Monday in response to the heavily damaged southbound structure. The proclamation noted the immediate need to reopen the highway and that, along with “the economic impacts, there is concern for the public safety and well-being of all individuals in the vicinity of the incident.”
Shapiro allocated $2 million in unused appropriated funds to the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management to combat the crisis.
“I found myself thanking the Lord that no motorists who were on I-95 were injured or died,” Shapiro said in a news conference early Sunday evening.
Human remains, believed to be that of the tractor-trailer driver, were reportedly found in the wreckage on Monday, according to ABC News. Officials have not publicly confirmed the report.
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The reconstruction of the highway is expected to take multiple months, and a clear timeline of the process will be available once experts and engineers review the disaster site, according to Shapiro's press release.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Pennsylvania State Police for a comment.