The main bridge of the American highway collapsed

The bridge on Interstate 95, one of the major highways in the NOW, collapsed this Sunday after a large vehicle caught fire underneath it, causing thick black smoke and the closure of that road in both directions.

Local television showed images of what happened: a large column of black smoke and part of the road burned with molten iron and smoking cement due to the ferocity of the fire.

The incident happened nearby city ​​of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) And so far, local authorities believe no injuries have been caused by the collapse, Philadelphia Fire Department Capt. Derek Bowmer said at a news conference.

According to Bowmer, emergency crews from Philadelphia responded to the fire around 6:30 a.m. local time (10:30 a.m. GMT) and quickly realized the fire was coming from a large burning vehicle that was under the freeway.

Initially, local media reported that it was a tanker truck, but the local authorities did not confirm this.

Bowmer explained that the fire from the vehicle may have hit gas lines that run underground, causing small explosions and fires around the highway.

Authorities urged motorists to avoid the road, which will remain closed to traffic for some time.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, He said on Twitter that he had been informed of what had happened and indicated that he was coordinating with authorities in the neighboring state of New Jersey and with the federal government to respond to the situation.

The damaged highway, Interstate 95 (I-95), serves as a link between major cities on the US East Coast and is used by millions of Americans every day.

The 3,096-kilometer highway leads from Miami (Florida) to the border between the federal state of Maine (USA) and the Canadian province of New Brunswick.