I-95 collapse reminiscent to 1996 tire fire in Philadelphia's Port Richmond
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Those who remember the 1996 illegal tire dump fire under an Interstate 95 overpass say Sunday's I-95 collapse is eerily reminiscent.
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On March 13, 1996, an arsonist started a massive fire after setting 10,000 illegally dumped tires on fire in Philadelphia's Port Richmond, between Westmoreland and Tioga streets.
The intense heat caused part of I-95 to buckle, closing the main east coast arterial interstate for nine days and causing a major traffic nightmare on neighborhood side streets, followed by months of detours.
Former CBS News Philadelphia reporter, Carol Erickson, recalls covering the story.
"It was a mess," she said.
A plume of smoke went 30 miles and it was months before the roadway was usable again.
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Erickson said one difference between the collapse and tire fire is that commuters didn't have GPS and weren't able to work remotely with Zoom.
Prosecutors charged several people with arson and the dump's owner was sent to prison.
