Gold Star Bridge Accident: Police Identify Truck Driver Killed In Groton
Very disturbing news was recently released. After hearing this information, the general populace is in shock and dread. The driver of a home heating oil truck who was killed in a rollover collision on the Gold Star Bridge on Friday that started a huge fire and forced the closure of Interstate 95 in both directions for about two hours has been identified by Groton State Police, according to authorities. As a crew from the state Department of Transportation waited to assess the bridge, the southbound lanes remained closed into Friday night, according to officials.
Gold Star Bridge Accident
State police have identified the truck driver as Wallace Joseph Fauquet III, 42, of Stonington’s Deer Ridge Road. According to state police, two further passengers, a 58-year-old New London driver, and his 35-year-old Groton passenger, both got what are thought to be minor wounds. To Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, both were taken. On Friday morning, as the Toyota approached the Gold Star Bridge on Interstate 95 South, one of its tires failed, according to state police. Around 11:17 a.m., an oil truck struck it from behind as it was coming to a halt in the right acceleration lane of the bridge.
Police Identify Truck Driver Killed In Groton Accident
As a result of the collision, the truck spilled around 2,200 gallons of oil, which instantly caught fire and billowed heavy smoke that could be seen for miles, according to Governor Ned Lamont, who spoke at a news conference later that day close to the bridge. The truck tipped over in the accident, according to state police. Lamont expressed his sympathy to the truck driver’s family. The governor claimed that as oil ran into the Thames River below through drain pipes off the bridge, fires followed the oil.
According to DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, 60,000 vehicles travel daily between Groton and New London across the largest bridge in the state, which was erected in 1973. The last time the bridge was repaired and refurbished was in 2018, he said. Smoke was seen rising from the scene of the southbound incident near Groton’s Exit 86 on the bridge thanks to DOT cameras. According to state police, the Toyota and the truck were both completely destroyed in the fire, which also spread to some of the bridge’s structural elements. A bridge inspection crew was sent out right away to look into the building, according to DOT Director of Communications Kafi Rouse. They will enter to inspect the bridge and any damage when they are given the all-clear, according to Rouse. It is still too early to predict the extent of the damage.
