On Monday morning, Clifton experienced road closures and traffic delays due to a large truck exploding and catching fire. Sadly, the driver was found dead as a result of the incident.
Around 9 a.m., a significant incident occurred on Route 3 near East Valley Road. However, the aftermath of the situation is extensive and could possibly take a significant amount of time to be properly cleaned up.
The crash caused the closure of Route 3 in both directions, although the westbound lanes were reopened on Monday evening.
Officials have announced that the eastbound lanes between Route 46 and Grove Street are currently closed. While one lane is expected to reopen on Thursday night, the remaining three lanes will remain closed until 5 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to the fire chief, a collision occurred between a box truck and a New Jersey Transit bus which resulted in an explosion. The truck crashed through the sound barrier and into the back yard of several houses.
Mary Ann Zimmerman, a resident of Clifton, recalls feeling three explosions in her house and initially mistaking them for an earthquake.
It is currently unclear what type of chemical the truck was carrying, despite indications on the vehicle that it was a corrosive substance.
Acting Chief Daniel Collins of the Clifton Fire Department reported that the truck bore placards indicating that it was transporting corrosive and explosive chemicals as far as they could ascertain.
After the fire was successfully extinguished, the authorities discovered the body of the 55-year-old driver. It is worth noting that all 29 customers who were on board the bus are reported to be safe and unharmed.
Tom Ostendorp, a passenger on the NJ Transit, expressed his gratitude to God for the bus moving forward and avoiding a possible tragedy. “Because if we hadn’t, and we were adjacent to the truck, could be a different story,” he said.
As the fire raged on, it managed to spread into the storm drains and even made its way into the back yards of some nearby homes. The damage was not limited to just the homes, as the soundwall along the road also suffered from the flames. In an effort to ensure the safety of the residents, several homes were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Suvi Patel, a resident of Clifton, expressed gratitude towards the wall that prevented a potential disaster. “If we didn’t have that wall, it would have definitely been on our neighbor’s – our friend’s backyard. Thank God that wall was there,” she stated.
From my vantage point, I noticed that the vinyl siding of the house located behind that wall seemed to have melted away entirely from its side.
Neighbor Anup Patel exclaimed, “The hairs on my leg were almost burning off!”
Throughout the night, emergency crews will be diligently working to mill and pave the affected areas of Route 3’s eastbound lane. In addition to this, they will also be repairing the damaged guardrail and setting up fencing and construction barriers where the soundwall was previously knocked down.
According to the police, it is advisable for drivers to steer clear of the vicinity.
Passaic Valley Water Commission officials have acknowledged that certain customers in the area are currently encountering discolored water.
