Long commutes start after part of I-95 collapses in Philadelphia following tanker truck fire

PHILADELPHIA - Drivers began longer commutes Monday after an elevated section of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia a day earlier following damage caused by a tanker truck carrying flammable cargo catching fire.Sunday's fire closed a heavily traveled segment of the East Coast’s main north-south highway indefinitely.

Newscasts warned of traffic nightmares and gave advice on detours, urging drivers to take more time to travel."This is really going to have a ripple effect throughout the region," AAA spokesperson Jana Tidwell said Monday.

She advised people to avoid peak travel times.RELATED COVERAGE: Commuter Alert: Alternate routes, SEPTA changes mapped out to avoid collapse on I-95 in PhiladelphiaTidwell also anticipated that drivers will incur additional costs — "more gasoline, more wear and tear on their cars, additional tolls, in terms of leaving Pennsylvania into New Jersey and then back into Pennsylvania."The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said it was operating three extra morning and late afternoon trains on its Trenton, New Jersey, line, and adding capacity to regularly scheduled lines during peak hours "to help support the city and region's travel needs" following the collapse.Transportation officials warned of extensive delays and street closures and urged drivers to avoid the area in the city's northeast corner.

Officials said the tanker contained a petroleum product that may have been hundreds of gallons of gasoline. The fire took about an hour to get under control.The northbound lanes of I-95 were gone and the southbound lanes were "compromised" by heat from the fire, said Derek Bowmer, battalion chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department.