Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A truck chemical leak and flash fire at a Shell gas station forced the temporary closure of Interstate 95 Exit 6 and surrounding roads in Stamford on Friday morning, April 24, 2026. The Stamford Fire Department, state police, and DEEP (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) emergency services responded to the incident at approximately 10:45 a.m. following reports of a vehicle fire at the Shell station located off Exit 6 of I-95.
When firefighters arrived on scene, they discovered that the vehicle was not actually on fire, but rather a flash fire was occurring from a chemical tank on the truck. Emergency responders quickly extinguished the flash fire using a dry chemical extinguisher that was available at the gas station. Despite successfully putting out the fire, firefighters remained concerned about continuing chemical spillage from the damaged tank.
The ongoing leak prompted state police to immediately shut down the surrounding roadways as a safety precaution. The incident resulted in the temporary closure of Exit 6 from Interstate 95 to allow emergency crews proper access for handling the chemical leak. Additionally, state police closed West Avenue and Grenhart Road to vehicle traffic while crews worked to contain the situation.
After assessing the scene, Stamford firefighters made the decision to relocate the leaking chemical truck to a less populated area for safer handling of the hazardous materials. The truck was moved to Brown House Road, which officials determined was the best course of action to allow DEEP emergency services to properly manage and contain the chemical leak without putting nearby residents at risk.
DEEP specialists worked to safely handle the chemical spill and ensure proper containment and cleanup procedures were followed. The coordinated response between the Stamford Fire Department, state police, and DEEP emergency services allowed crews to effectively manage the hazardous materials incident without any reported injuries or environmental damage.
All affected roadways, including I-95 Exit 6, West Avenue, and Grenhart Road, have since reopened to normal traffic flow following the successful containment and cleanup of the chemical leak. The incident, which began around 10:45 a.m. with initial reports of a vehicle fire, was resolved through the coordinated efforts of multiple emergency agencies working to protect public safety and the environment.
Location & Road Context
The incident occurred at the Shell gas station located directly off Exit 6 of Interstate 95 in Stamford. Exit 6 serves as a major access point for local traffic entering and exiting the heavily traveled I-95 corridor, which carries thousands of vehicles daily through the area. The closure of this exit, along with West Avenue and Grenhart Road, created temporary traffic disruptions for motorists traveling through this section of Stamford.
The decision to relocate the chemical truck to Brown House Road demonstrated the emergency crews’ strategic thinking in moving the hazardous materials away from the more densely populated areas near the highway interchange. This location provided DEEP emergency services with better access and a safer environment to conduct their specialized chemical containment and cleanup operations.
Broader Impact
The incident highlights the critical importance of having proper emergency response protocols in place for hazardous materials transportation through busy highway corridors. The quick coordination between the Stamford Fire Department, state police, and DEEP emergency services demonstrated effective inter-agency cooperation in managing chemical spills that could potentially pose risks to both public safety and environmental health. The availability of appropriate fire suppression equipment at the gas station, including the dry chemical extinguisher used to control the flash fire, proved essential in preventing the situation from escalating into a more serious emergency.