Thanksgiving celebrations were marked by chaos on the Commodore Barry Bridge following two separate crashes that injured multiple people. According to NBC Philadelphia, the initial collision occurred around 6:20 p.m. on Route 322 and involved two vehicles that both caught on fire. This incident resulted in injuries to the driver and a minor who was a passenger.
The bridge, an important thoroughfare connecting Gloucester County and Delaware County over the Delaware River, was significantly disrupted due to the accidents. While the first crash's victims were rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, there were six other individuals involved in a subsequent collision. Even though their ages have not been specified, some of these individuals received medical attention, as disclosed by the Delaware River Port Authority spokesperson to NBC Philadelphia.
In the wake of the crashes, the bridge saw most of its lanes closed, with only one westbound lane being reopened initially. As reported by 6abc, the blockage continued into Friday morning with some lanes still out of operation. The Delaware River Port Authority has been entrusted with unraveling the sequence of events that culminated in these harrowing crashes.
Details remain sparse about the precise causation of the accidents as investigation efforts endure. However, aerial imagery from Chopper 6 showed the urgent efforts of emergency teams working to quell the flames on the bridge, as noted by 6abc. Conditional reports on the victims are yet to be issued, and the entirety of the bridge was expected to be operational again after the accident cleanup, although a timeline for complete reopening was not forthcoming. The causes of both crashes are still under investigation.
