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A fiery crash on Interstate 95 Wednesday night sent two drivers to the hospital with serious injuries and closed traffic on the highway in both directions. An 18-wheeler flipped over on the northbound side of the road in Fairfield between exits 23 and 24, spilling approximately 75 gallons of fuel into the roadway and engulfing the truck and roadway in flames.
The intense heat from the burning diesel fuel in the storm drains caused the median to explode into pieces across all three lanes of the highway making the scene very dangerous for all emergency responders and bystanders, said Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bisson.
Fairfield Fire crews received the first emergency call just after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. They arrived to find a tractor-trailer covered in flames, with additional fire coming out of a nearby storm drain. Another car sat badly damaged nearby, with the driver still inside. He was removed from the car by emergency responders and taken to Bridgeport Hospital for serious injuries. Witnesses originally told firefighters that the trucks driver was still inside the cab as well, but he had managed to safely escape before crews arrived. He was also taken to Bridgeport Hospital for treatment.
The highway was closed in both directions for about 30 minutes while firefighters put out the blaze. Portions of the northbound side were closed until about 11:30 p.m. while Fairfield Fire Department and state Department of Environmental Protection crews cleaned up the wreckage and the spilled fuel. Connecticut State Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
See an accident on Fairfields roads? Send tips to gcanuel@mainstreetconnect.us and help warn your neighbors.
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