UPDATE: I-95 Northbound Now Reopened, Southbound Partially Reopens After 2 Major Accidents

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: I-95 South has partially reopened in Old Lyme following two separate crashes.

UPDATE 2 P.M. The state Department of Transportation says that I-95 northbound by Exit 70 in Old Lyme has reopened after a fatal crash, but the southbound side remains closed for now after a serious accident on that side occurred this morning.

We’ll keep updating this breaking news story.

UPDATE 11:45 A.M. Seven hours after the first accident was reported in Old Lyme early Saturday morning Interstate 95 remains closed in both directions as noon approaches.

More details about the accidents are starting to surface. Arturo Paez, 62, of Stratford was seriously injured in the first accident, which began at 4:30 a.m. on the southbound side by Exit 70.

Paez’s tractor-trailer struck a guardrail and concrete bridge before bursting into flames, WTNH News 8 reports. He was flown to a local hospital.

Then in the same area but on the northbound side at 6 a.m. a separate accident occurred involving five cars and two tractor-trailers, News 8 reports. No other details are currently available.

We’ll update this breaking news story.

UPDATE 8. A.M. I-95 remains CLOSED between Exits 70 and 71 because of Motor Vehicle Accident (Multi Vehicle).

UPDATE, 6:52 a.m.

WTNH-TV reports state police are saying five cars and two tractor-trailers are involved in the second accident. WFSB-TV’s Twitter page says that one person has been killed in that wreck, and that police have declared “a mass casualty scene because of the number of victims involved.”

Original Story

A pair of serious accidents on Interstate 95 in Old Lyme has closed the highway in both directions around exits 70 and 71 early Saturday morning, WFSB-TV reports.

The first crash, around 4:45 a.m., involved a tractor-trailer which caught fire and left bottles of soda and water strewn on the roadway. Life Star helicopter was called to the scene, the station reported.

Around 6 a.m., a multi-vehicle accident happened on I-95 northbound just over the Baldwin Bridge near exit 70. A tractor-trailer was also believed to be involved in that crash, WFSB-TV said.

NBC Connecticut reported via Facebook and Twitter that Life Star was also called to the second accident scene.