Highway accident shuts down interstates in Connecticut

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (CNN) -- A tractor-trailer jackknifed and caught fire at the intersection of two interstate highways in Connecticut Wednesday morning, killing the driver, shutting down the busy roadways and causing a headache for holiday travelers.

The accident happened at 7:30 a.m. at the Quinnipiac Bridge in New Haven, where Interstates 95 and 91 intersect, said Trooper James Tilley of the Connecticut State Police. The tractor-trailer, which was northbound on I-95, hit a concrete abutment on the bridge, jackknifed and caught fire, sending burning fuel to the city streets below.

The cab of the truck and several cars in a parking lot below the bridge caught fire as a result, said Bill Seward of the New Haven Fire Department.

The truck driver was ejected and thrown to the parking lot 60 feet below, where he died, Seward said. His name was not immediately released.

All fires were extinguished by 9 a.m., Seward said.

The accident shut down a stretch of I-91 southbound near Exit 3, and both directions of I-95, which runs east and west near New Haven, on one of the year's busiest travel days.

"We're not looking real good for travel," said Tilley. He said traffic was being rerouted through the city of New Haven as officials worked to clear the accident.

Based on reports the truck was carrying hazardous materials in its 40-foot box trailer, Seward said, the State Department of Environmental Protection hired contractors to come to the scene to assess the damage. "We're still evaluating what the trailer's carrying."

The truck was operated by New Jersey-based Jevic Transportation. The company could not be reached for comment Wednesday.