CLIFTON, NJ—A severe incident occurred on Route 3 on Monday, resulting in a fatal tractor-trailer fire and subsequent explosions. The accident claimed the life of a 55-year-old male driver from Linden and forced the closure of the highway in both directions for nearly nine hours.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office reported that the accident happened as the commercial truck, traveling west, collided with a barrier and ignited. The event led to multiple explosions, drawing emergency responses following reports from highway users around 9 a.m.
Eyewitnesses and first responders noted several explosions on the scene. It wasn’t until the fire was under control that the driver’s body was found among the wreckage.
Traffic updates indicated that the westbound lanes were reopened at around 5:30 p.m. on the same day. However, significant disruptions persisted on the eastbound side. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that while the left lane was set to reopen later that Monday night, the remaining lanes, along with the Valley Road ramp to eastbound Route 3, were scheduled to remain closed until 5 a.m. Tuesday, pending investigations and necessary highway repairs.
