Truck fire underneath Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia under control, roadway reopened
Videos showed plumes of smoke billowing into the sky while the fire was active.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A large truck fire erupted underneath the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia on Sunday.
Officials say the blaze was reported just before 5 p.m. and it was placed under control at approximately 8 p.m.
The bridge was also reopened to traffic at that time, officials say.
Videos showed plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky while the fire was active.
A tractor-trailer had erupted in flames in a storage lot on State Road, which is located next to the bridge.
People who passed by the scene said it was a shocking sight.
"I said 'Oh my God, I hope the bridge doesn't fall down,'" recalled Joaquin Blito.
"First thing I saw people saying was like, 'I-95 #2,' which would have been a problem," added Matthew Craven.
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Many said that this fire reminded them of the incident on June 11, when a tanker fire caused a portion of I-95 in Philadelphia to collapse and close in both directions.
However, the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge was only closed for about three hours as firefighters stopped the tractor-trailer from smoking and reigniting.
Officials said the truck was carrying a large amount of tires when it caught fire.
"We had a bridge closure, but we also have a lot of people who are safe," said Pennsylvania State Representative Joe Hohenstein. "That's the big message, especially with what happened to 95."
It is unclear how the blaze began, but officials say they are using surveillance video to determine its cause.
"There's a lot of cameras here, both by the bridge authority and by some private businesses," said Philadelphia City Council Member Mike Driscoll. "So let's hope we find the perpetrator or perpetrators and bring them to justice."
Local leaders also said they have been communicating with Homeland Security, and they will bring up this incident in order to find the best solutions to protect roadways and be vigilant of what is stored near bridges and major highways.
