This significantly weakened the floors and columns with dislodged fireproofing to the point where floors sagged and pulled inward on the perimeter columns leading to the buildings’ collapse.
On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro issued a disaster declaration, allowing the state and city to draw down federal funds to begin the reconstruction.
“I-95 is a critical roadway that supports our economy and plays an important role in folks’ everyday lives,” Shapiro said on the day of the collapse.
While this helps start the rebuilding of the section, experts say it will take months to fix the interstate which still has to be fully inspected in order to find out the extent of the damage. Though the southbound span of the interstate’s overpass did not collapse, Chajes suspects the lanes were compromised because of the fire’s heat.
“So that section didn’t get as hot, but it got hot enough to damage the steel to the point where it probably needs to be replaced,” he said.