Truck fire closes I-95 in Fairfield

Fairfield (WTNH) - A tanker fire on I-95 North closed all lanes of the highway in Westport and Fairfield for a couple of hours Monday, and temporarily forced some nearby residents out of their homes.

The fire itself happened near Exit 19 around 4:00 a.m., but the interstate was closed between Exit 18 in Westport and Exit 21 in Fairfield.

Aroudn 10:45 a.m., the left and center lanes of the highway were reopened to traffic.

Officials on the scene told News Channel 8 the fire was caused by some type of mechanical issue, possibly overheated rear brakes on the tanker portion of the rig.

The truck was carrying 6,800 gallons of methanol, also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. It's highly flammable, which raised safety concerns.

"It could have exploded inside the tank," a fire department official said.

Once the fire was out, the remaining methanol was pumped into another truck and removed from the scene.

A message from the Department of Transportation initially estimated it would take up to four hours to clear the scene. But just as one lane was being opened up, a state trooper crashed into the center jersey barrier, closing the highway again. The cruiser suffered rear end damage.

During the fire some people who lived in the immediate area were evacuated for a time and taken to a nearby school, but they have since been allowed back into their homes.

Drivers were advised to take Route 1 or the Merritt Parkway to avoid the area.