I-95 southbound in Philadelphia closed after tractor-trailer fire today

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A section of I-95 southbound closed in Philadelphia on Friday after a tractor-trailer jackknifed and caught fire on an overpass.

The southbound side of the highway is closed between Exit 26 for the Betsy Ross Bridge and Aramingo Avenue, and the Girard Avenue/Lehigh Avenue exit, according to the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.

The fire happened around 4:30 a.m. With the closure still in place, later on Friday morning police opened one lane trying to alleviate a massive backup of people stuck on the highway.

Drivers were urged to take alternate routes and allow extra time to get to their destination. NEXT Traffic anchor Chris Garrett suggests Route 1, Aramingo Avenue and Frankford Avenue as your main alternate routes.

Video from the Citizen app showed the truck up in flames.

The fire was is in the area of Allegheny Avenue and Castor Avenue and appeared to be out before 6 a.m. Pennsylvania State Police said the driver of the truck got out, but there was no word on their condition.

Smoke from the fire could be seen on traffic cameras.

By 9 a.m., the remnants of the truck were being loaded onto a tow truck to be hauled away, CBS News Philadelphia's Brandon Goldner reported.

As of 12 p.m., workers were putting down sand on the roadway and sweeping it to clean up oil that had spilled on the surface. A PennDOT spokesperson said the roadway was being assessed to make sure it was safe to drive on. Once that work is complete, two lanes would be opened.

Workers also need to repair about 200 feet of guardrail dividing the northbound and southbound lanes, which was damaged in the crash and fire.

"The tractor-trailer burned a significant portion of the roadway, and they have to make sure the underneath is not compromised as well as clearing all the debris you see here," Lt. William Slaton of the Pennsylvania State Police said.

Once those two southbound lanes reopen, the lanes closest to the guardrail will remain closed so that workers can safely finish the guardrail repairs. Police want to make sure that barrier is in place so northbound traffic cannot cross over and hit southbound traffic, Slaton said.

Pennsylvania State Police previously estimated the crash scene would take six to eight hours to clear.

Castor Avenue residents react after fire shuts down I-95 in Philadelphia

Some neighbors on Castor Avenue had said they were worried the flames would spread to their homes.

Alberta Heim, who lives on Castor, said she heard and saw fire trucks but hadn't seen the fire until we showed her the video.

"That's bad," Heim said. "Could blow up the whole neighborhood. I don't know, people don't drive today right. They drive crazy."

We're still working to find out what caused this crash and fire.