A tanker truck carrying nearly 9,000 gallons of fuel caught fire and exploded on a major highway in southern New Jersey on Monday morning.
The gasoline tanker's driver was able to escape before the rig burst into flames, police said. However authorities did not confirm whether he had suffered any injuries, the Associated Press reported.
Around 11 a.m. on Monday, the truck's large rig, carrying 8,900 gallons of gas, overturned and flipped on the off-ramp from Route 90 to Route 130 in Pennsauken, instantly exploding into flames. Since there were no other vehicles involved, it remains unclear what caused the Camden County accident.
"I heard a big bang and I felt it. I looked over and saw the flames shoot straight up. It was pretty crazy. I didn't see the truck... all I saw was flames. It felt like a bomb went off," said Bob Ried, who was driving to pick up his son when the nearby tanker burst into flames.
As the roaring flames sent black, thick smoke billowing into the sky and over the area, which could also be seen 5 miles away in downtown Philadelphia, first responders immediately started to evacuate nearby homes by going door-to-door, according to CBS News.
A resident told Eyewitness News that she rushed back home after receiving a phone call at work about the explosion near her house.
"My concern was the smoke and my dog being the only one in the house. My kids are coming home from school shortly and I needed to know that they are going to be safe."
Although firefighters managed to douse the truck by noon, it got reignited again. By 12:20 p.m., they had mostly managed to gain control of the blaze, New York Daily News reported.
Meanwhile, NJDOT said the ramp is closed at this time. Authorities are also asking drivers to avoid the Betsy Ross Bridge. It's not clear what caused the truck to overturn.
