I-95 reopens after deadly multi-vehicle crash shut down interstate for hours
All sections of the highway were reopened at approximately 11 a.m., roughly eight hours after the initial crash.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two people are dead after a multi-vehicle crash on I-95 in Philadelphia on Sunday.
The crash caused a four-mile stretch of the highway to shut down for several hours, according to state police.
Chopper video over I-95 near the Bridesburg section of the city showed massive delays and shutdowns in both directions.
Amanda Lear says she spent close to an hour in the traffic jam.
"I put my GPS on because I didn't know what happened. It said 48 minutes to get home. I live in Port Richmond and it was not 48 minutes, because I spent 48 minutes going like two miles," said Lear of Port Richmond.
Police said two people died in the crash that happened around 3:15 a.m.
The victims, both men from Philadelphia, were 20 and 22 years old. There is no word yet on their identities.
After the crash, I-95 northbound was shut down from Castor Avenue to Cottman Avenue.
I-95 southbound was also closed from Cottman Avenue to the Betsy Ross Bridge.
All sections of the highway were reopened at approximately 11 a.m., roughly eight hours after the initial crash.
Three vehicles were involved in the collision, police say. It is unclear what caused the crash.
As emergency crews and police worked to clear the scene, it left drivers struggling to get through the mess left behind.
"I saw the brake lights coming up the hill and I figured it had to be an accident. It felt like rush hour in the morning," said Mark Taylor of West Berlin, New Jersey.
"Cars won't let people over and it's down to one lane, so you have three lanes, trying to get into one now and everybody's being people from Philly," said Lear.
"Because of all the detours, it was so backed up my GPS said it was a better idea to go over the Betsy Ross Bridge than take Aramingo Ave," said Carlo Baffa of Springfield, PA.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating this incident.
