A heavily traveled section of the I-95 highway in Philadelphia collapsed on Sunday following a fire in the area. Local authorities have confirmed that no casualties have been reported so far.

Sarah Peterson, a spokesperson for the city, stated that “the fire of a vehicle underneath I-95 (…) caused the collapse of this portion of the highway.” The police have closed both directions of the express lanes in the immediate vicinity of the accident site.

United States : a section of a highway collapses in Philadelphia

Affected residents and travelers will be assisted by municipal and state services, which are currently working to address the repercussions caused in the affected area. Images broadcasted on television channels showed thick black smoke and four lanes abruptly plunging towards a smaller road below.

United States : a section of a highway collapses in Philadelphia

I-95 is considered a major artery, spanning approximately 3,000 kilometers, connecting Maine in the Northeast to Miami in the Southeast. Local officials present at a conference held on Sunday morning estimated that this incident could result in partial or complete closure for several weeks.