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I-95 closure: Pickup killed gas-carrying pedestrian

The fiery closure of I-95 near Delaware this morning was the result of a pickup truck striking and killing a man carrying a container of gasoline.

A Dodge Ram pickup sits on I-95 after being engulfed in flames following its striking and killing a man carrying a container of gasoline. The northbound lanes were closed for nearly three hours, as traffic was routed through an adjoining Welcome Center.
A Dodge Ram pickup sits on I-95 after being engulfed in flames following its striking and killing a man carrying a container of gasoline. The northbound lanes were closed for nearly three hours, as traffic was routed through an adjoining Welcome Center.Read more

The fiery closure of I-95 near Delaware this morning was the result of a pickup truck striking and killing a man carrying a container of gasoline.

The victim's soundbound tractor-trailer had run out of fuel, so he crossed I-95 on foot to get gas from another trucker parked at the Pennsylvania Welcome Center in Lower Chichester.

While carrying the gas back to his tractor-trailer, the man, 44, who lived in northwestern New Jersey, was struck as he neared the left northbound lane at about 5:45 a.m., about 45 minutes before sunrise.

The pickup driver, a 35-year-old man from Bear, Del., was not injured, but his 2006 Dodge Ram was destroyed by flames as it sat burning along the highway.

All northbound lanes were blocked for nearly three hours, as traffic was routed through the Welcome Center lot.

Lanes reopened at about 8:30 a.m.

The name of the deceased man was withheld, pending notification of his family.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.