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A deadly truck crash on North Conduit Avenue in Queens Monday afternoon snarled traffic for hours, making for an extra long haul for drivers headed to Kennedy Airport.
The gas tanker burst into flames after it overturned on the northbound ramp to the Van Wyck Expressway, near Kennedy Airport early Monday afternoon.
Police say the driver of the truck was killed in the accident. It took 280 firefighters to get the blaze under control, but fire officials say windy conditions helped their efforts.
"It was out in the open, so we had a strong wind," said FDNY deputy assistant chief Ronald Spadafora. "So really the heat wasn't much of a factor in regards to the firefighters."
Firefighters used foam to quash the flames that shot up after the tanker overturned.
The two-alarm blaze sent thick black smoke all across the area.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The Department of Transportation says the ramp leading to the VWE on North Conduit has been closed, but the expressway remains open. DOB engineers are inspecting the ramp for structural damage.
There is no word on when it may reopen. Drivers are warned to expect heavy traffic if they're headed to Kennedy Airport.
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