What to Know
- A major fire broke out on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Monday afternoon after an RV burst into flames, according to sources
- Sources told News 4 that the RV had a mechanical malfunction, and the driver pulled off into a construction area before it caught fire
- There were no injuries reported, but traffic was backed up for miles as the highway was shut down while first responders put out the flames
A major fire broke out on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Monday afternoon after an RV burst into flames, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Sources told News 4 that the recreational vehicle had a mechanical malfunction, and the driver pulled off into a construction area. The four people inside then exited from inside the camper, and it caught fire around 3:30 p.m.
The flames soon consumed the RV and the Honda CR-V it was towing behind it. The giant plumes of black smoke billowing from the fire could be seen for miles as traffic on the Westchester County side of the bridge heading toward Rockland County was completely halted for more than an hour.
Cars were seen backed up for more than five miles as a result of the blaze, going all the way back to the White Plains area.
New York State Police were investigating what exactly caused the fire, which completely destroyed the RV. Officials do not believe the vehicle was struck.
There were no injuries reported. A statement from the New York Thruway Authority said that a structural engineer evaluated the overhead structure before all lanes of traffic were reopened.
