Police: Speeding caused fiery accident near Betsy Ross Bridge

Speeding and inattentive driving caused a flaming truck accident near the Betsy Ross Bridge last month that caused about $1 million in damage and closed a busy highway ramp for several days, police said.

The driver of the fuel tanker truck, Brian Ervin, 48, of Bear, Del., was cited for careless driving and illegal possession of multiple driver's licenses. The truck was owned by TK Transport Inc. of Pennsauken.

The accident report by Delaware River Port Authority police concluded that Ervin was driving faster than 40 m.p.h. in a 25 m.p.h. zone when his truck struck a guardrail and overturned on the northbound ramp from Route 90 to Route 130 in Pennsauken.

The driver escaped the burning truck with minor injuries. Thirty homes near the accident scene were evacuated. All residents eventually were permitted to return to their homes.

Ervin blamed the accident on "black ice," police said, but investigators found no evidence of ice or weather conditions that would have created icing.

The Feb. 23 accident and resulting fire caused about $1 million in damage to the roadway, guardrail and light fixtures, DRPA officials said. The DRPA is seeking to collect that money from the truck owner's insurance company.