Groton ― A fatal crash between a home heating oil truck and a passenger vehicle shut down the southbound span of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge for more than seven hours Friday, sending black smoke billowing into the air and rerouting traffic on busy Interstate 95.

The driver of the fuel truck was declared dead at the scene.

The span’s two left lanes were reopened around 6:15 p.m. after an inspection revealed no structural steel damage, according to Josh Morgan a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

Morgan said there was significant damage to the fencing, sidewalk and right travel lane of the span, which "are going to remain closed until further notice," meaning there will be no pedestrian access across the bridge. With workers still at the scene, Morgan said drivers should go slow, pay attention and put their phones away.

State police Sgt. Christine Jeltema, who spoke at a late-afternoon press conference at a media staging area set up on Bridge Street, said it was reported to state police that the incident occurred when a tire on the passenger vehicle blew out but that an investigation was ongoing.

“There was an off-duty police officer that thankfully was in the area and was able to render aid to the individual or individuals in the vehicle,” Jeltema said.

Gov. Ned Lamont, who also attended the press conference, said an off-duty New London officer helped.

The Department of Transportation is conducting a structural analysis of the southbound span, where the fencing on the outer edge melted.

DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the agency was already below the bridge looking at damage to the steel structure, and that the drainage system was compromised.

“It’s going to be an extended closure,” he said. “We don’t know how long, until we’re able to do extensive analysis of the structure.”

He said the southbound span carries about 60,000 vehicles per day.

Asked whether the northbound span of the bridge could be open for two-way traffic, Eucalitto said, “Our team has looked at whether it’s physically feasible. We believe the bridge can carry bi-directional traffic. We would need to do some load rating testing to ensure that it would be safe, so at this time, we’re not 100% certain whether that’s possible.”

The heating oil truck was a “house to house” truck that can hold up to 2,800 gallons of home heating oil. An estimated 2,200 gallons of home heating oil spilled into the Thames River.

Richard Swan from the Emergency Response Unit of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the agency set up a double boom and was able to collect an estimated 85% of the fuel that hit the water. He said contractors will do remediation for fuel that hit the ground.

The crash occurred at about 11 a.m. on the southbound side of Interstate 95 where emergency responders encountered the vehicle on fire and flaming fuel running along the length of the bridge.

Two people were taken by ambulance to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. New London Fire Chief Thomas Curcio confirmed one person died at the scene, and Lamont said it looked like the other injuries weren’t life-threatening.

Curcio said firefighters from multiple departments fought the blaze, using water and firefighting foam to extinguish the flames. State Department of Transportation engineers are responding with special equipment to inspect the bridge for damage and make a determination on when it might be reopened.

Multiple fire departments were called to aid in extinguishing the fire whose heat could be felt from the opposite side of the highway. Both sides of I-95 were shut down at one point during the response.

DOT data shows the southbound span’s deck and foundation were rated in “satisfactory” condition in a June 6, 2021 inspection, with the superstructure rated “fair.”

The state directed approximately $26 million toward a rehabilitation project on the southbound span starting in 2017. The project included replacing the bridge's modular deck joints, fixing spots of deteriorating concrete and repaving the deck, applying a higher-tech waterproofing system, and repairing and replacing steel as needed.

Components of the southbound span, built in 1973 and rehabbed in the 1990s, needed repairs after being exposed to salt, debris and traffic over the past quarter century, according to DOT engineers. The project was designed to preserve the bridge for the next 25 years.

On the other side, the northbound span's deck and superstructure was rated "poor,” and its foundation was rated "fair" after the most recent inspection in 2021. That side has been prioritized for a $158 million federal grant.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was at the Thames River State Boat Launch in January to tout the funding, which will address structural repairs to increase how much weight the bridge can bear and establish a new path for biking and walking.

City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick said City of Groton firefighters contained fires that broke out under the bridge, in the area of Fairview Avenue.

He said the fires started in a wooded area when burning debris and liquid, believed to be diesel fuel, came off the bridge and into stormwater drains. He said no businesses or homes under the bridge were in danger of catching fire but people were being advised to avoid the area.

Billy Nelson, CEO of the nearby Fairview nursing home and independent living facility, said in an email that Fairview activated its incident command center and initiated a code orange alert for the organization. The facility closed its windows, doors, and HVAC units in accordance with its emergency plan, due to large amounts of smoke nearby.

Just before 1 p.m. Friday, he said that "operations and staffing levels are normal and uninterrupted," and that staff are in the process of informing other staff, families and vendors on alternate routes.

"We are not expecting medical or food deliveries until next week and will monitor the status of the bridge as this situation develops," Nelson said.

Electric Boat, which has workplaces on both sides of the Thames River, reported it had halted its shuttle operation and notified employees. The shuttle service had resumed by early afternoon.

“We are in communication with the Connecticut State Police and have informed our employees of the incident and the advisory to avoid the area,” said Electric Boat spokesman Daniel McFadden.

McFadden said the incident was not affecting work operations at EB.

Chris Zendan, public affairs officer for SUBASE New London said the Naval Submarine New London (SUBASE) Fire Department is providing mutual aid “in response to a multi-alarm incident in the City of Groton involving a tanker truck on the Gold Star Bridge.”

“The incident on the bridge south of the base, and spanning the Thames River, has had no impact on SUBASE operations or scheduled submarine movements” he said by email. “SUBASE remains open for normal operations.”

Zendan added that, per mutual aid agreements, other local fire departments are on-call to help the base in the event any incident happens on base while some base fire personnel are being deployed elsewhere.

Chris Steven, a student at UConn Avery Point, was driving to his gym in Waterford when he found himself in a line of cars trying to get off the bridge where the incident took place. Steven said he saw dark fire smoke every where and could feel the heat radiating from the flames in the minutes he drove by.

“We were on the far side so I wasn’t worried but I was worried if something else would explode,” Steven said.

Fire on the gold star bridge in groton Ct😳 pic.twitter.com/pxbAMKWWec

— chrisstevens7 (@Moneymakerzzz91) April 21, 2023

Matt Stone, of Chester, was in his kayak, under the bridge, when he noticed smoke coming from above. A short time later he saw flames coming down the bridge’s pillar. The flames, he said, also extended underneath the bridge.

Stone said he didn’t hear a crash, but that the fire did make a “whooshing, roaring” sound.

He said it appeared the fire had extinguished itself.

A Coast Guard boat told Stone to stay clear of the area, while a Navy boat said he had to leave the water because a submarine was coming.

One New London firefighter was taken to the hospital for treatment when firefighting foam got into his eyes.

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Day Staff Writers Greg Smith, Elizabeth Regan, Claire Bessette, Johana Vazquez and Kimberly Drelich and Erica Moser contributed to this story.

(Map: Scott Ritter/The Day | Sources: Day staff reports; Google Maps; CartoDB)

Alternative routes around Gold Star Memorial Bridge

Two lanes of the southbound span of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge reopened Friday evening following a crash and fire at 11 a.m.

The southbound span is being evaluated for structural damage, and there was no timeframe for how long it would be before if fully reopened.

North of the Gold Star, the main alternate route over the Thames River is Route 2A, which crosses the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge that connects to Routes 12 in Preston and Ledyard and Route 32 in Montville.

In Norwich, drivers can take Route 12 southbound just east of Norwich Harbor directly to Preston, Ledyard and Groton, or Route 32 on the west side of the harbor to reach Montville and New London.