A fatal multivehicle crash on I-95 in Port Richmond early Sunday morning claimed the lives of two Philadelphia men and caused extensive closures along the highway, officials said. According to 6abc, the collision, which involved three cars, happened around 3:15 a.m., resulting in the deaths of two young men aged 20 and 22. The identities of the deceased have not been released as authorities continue to investigate.

The impact from the crash forced PennDOT to quickly move to shut down the interstate for investigation and clean-up. I-95 northbound was closed from Castor Avenue to Cottman Avenue, while southbound traffic was blocked from Cottman Avenue to the Betsy Ross Bridge. In a statement obtained by PhillyVoice, PennDOT communicated to drivers that as police worked the scene, alternate routes should be considered to avoid extended delays.

All lanes were reported cleared and reopened by 11 a.m., ending a nearly eight-hour shutdown that snarled traffic and forced many to seek alternate paths through the city. The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management warned drivers in the area to "expect residual delays" even after the opening, as reported by CBS News Philadelphia. Locals, like Mark Taylor of West Berlin, New Jersey, shared their experiences, with Taylor reasoning it "had to be an accident" upon seeing the brake lights ahead. This sentiment was echoed by many motorists caught in the tangle of Sunday's early hours.

Philadelphia's commuting public—known for their no-nonsense approach to road-sharing—were particularly tested. As one commuter, Lear, put it to 6abc, "Cars won't let people over and it's down to one lane, so you have three lanes, trying to get into one now and everybody's being people from Philly." The detours created a cascade of delays that even GPS systems struggled to efficiently reroute, according to Carlo Baffa of Springfield, PA who found himself diverted over the Betsy Ross Bridge.