April 22 (UPI) — The southbound lanes of a key interstate highway bridge in Connecticut remained closed Saturday, a day after a fiery truck crash on the span sent clouds of thick smoke billowing into the atmosphere.
State authorities said the southbound span of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, which carries Interstate 95 across the Thames River at New London, Conn., will stay shuttered as bridge inspectors work to determine if its structural integrity has been compromised by the heat of Friday’s accident.
The driver of the fuel truck that crashed was killed. He was identified by Connecticut State Police as Wallace Joseph Fauquet III, 42, of Stonington, Conn.
Two others, including a 58-year-old New London man and a 35-year-old woman from Groton, Conn., sustained minor injuries in the incident. They are believed to have been in a car that sustained a tire blow-out on the bridge at around 11 a.m. Friday, triggering the accident.
Videos and photos from the accident scene showed ignited fuel burning on the bridge deck, pouring down drain spouts and spilling into the Thames River.
“This was a tragic accident,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said at a press briefing. “It looks like a passenger vehicle’s tire blew out, and created an incident with a tractor-trailer truck that went over, spilling about 2,200 gallons of fuel.
“Billowing smoke, incredible flames, pouring right down through the pipes, spilling out into the Thames River,” he said.
Both the northbound and southbound spans of the Gold Star Bridge were closed initially, but the northbound lanes were quickly reopened while the southbound span was being checked for possible permanent damage.
“The intense, wicked heat could have possibly compromised the steel — we hope that’s not the case,” Lamont said.
Of the fuel that spilled into the river, about 85% was been contained by absorbent booms that were quickly deployed in the water, officials said.