City transportation officials have given the all-clear to a support
pier and pedestrian walkway on the Gowanus Expressway after a fiery
truck crash in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn during the morning
rush Wednesday.Traffic was backed up for miles in both directions after a tractor
trailer struck a guard rail and part of a pedestrian overpass on the
Gowanus near 86th Street during the morning rush hour, forcing the
closure of westbound lanes on the expressway from 86th to 72nd Street.City transportation officials rushed to the scene to make sure the
roadway was not badly damaged. Now the Department of Transportation
says damage to the overpass and pier was mostly cosmetic, and there was
no structural damage.Eastbound lanes reopened at 11:30 p.m. All but one westbound lane leading to Staten Island reopened at 1:15 p.m.
Transportation officials say the driver of the tractor trailer is
in serious condition Lutheran Medical Center. No one else was hurt.The accident happened shortly after 9 a.m., causing major delays for rush hour drivers coming off the Staten Island Expressway.
The fire was put out, but a fuel spill caused additional delays.
A witness who called into NY1 says he heard three loud explosions
about a minute apart. Officials say the truck was empty when the
accident occurred, but its fuel tank erupted in flames.Workers continue to work to repairing a guard rail that was badly twisted in the accident.
