Fire-stricken GPL truck causes 40-kilometer traffic jam on A1 Highway, stranding vehicles for hours
During the sweltering heat of Ferragosto week, a fire broke out in a gas tanker truck on the A1 Milano-Napoli, causing a significant disruption on the highway.
The incident, which occurred at kilometer 525, led to a closure of a 40-kilometer stretch of the A1 in both directions. The closure initially occurred between Ponzano Romano and the Rome North Branch, causing a one-kilometer queue towards Rome and a two-kilometer queue towards Florence. However, due to safety concerns, the closure was later extended to 40 kilometers between Orte and Rome, resulting in queues of up to 4 kilometers towards Rome and 2 kilometers towards Florence.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames, but had to wait for the vehicle to cool down for safety reasons. Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the gas tank of the tanker truck. After cooling down, firefighters moved the tanker off the road.
Thousands of drivers were stuck in traffic for kilometers due to the closure. Many reported not receiving any water or assistance, with Angelo Angius writing on Facebook that they have been stuck on the A1 for more than two hours and have not received any water. Civil protection volunteers distributed bottles of water to alleviate the inconvenience.
The removal of the tanker from the highway will take time after transferring the GPl to another tanker. This incident is yet another causing chaos on the highways during the peak of August.
By evening, hundreds of cars were still stranded, a testament to the disruption caused by the fire. For the most accurate and updated data, it is recommended to check local Italian news sources, official traffic and emergency services reports from the Milan-Naples area, or Italian transport authorities.
The extended closure of the A1 Milano-Napoli due to a fire in a gas tanker truck has resulted in increased general-news coverage about the incident. Despite the efforts of firefighters to extinguish the flames and move the tanker off the road, the average travel time between Rome and Florence has significantly increased due to the accumulation of car-accidents caused by the delayed traffic. Moreover, the overall weather conditions have not helped in alleviating the situation, as the sweltering heat adversely affected those stranded in their vehicles.
