Today's accident on the A1 motorway turned an afternoon of traffic into a nightmare for thousands of motorists, stranded on gridlocked roads and caught in a threatening column of smoke as rescue operations attempted to restore safety.
Teano – An afternoon of terror and traffic chaos along the A1 Milan-Naples motorway, right during the peak hours of the Christmas holiday exodus.
A serious road accident, which occurred shortly after 17:00 PM at kilometer marker 709 near the Teano service area, paralyzed traffic in both directions, effectively cutting Italy in two.
A veritable inferno broke out in the center of the roadway. According to initial reports, the crash involved two heavy vehicles: a LPG tanker was the worst hit, engulfed in flames by the violent impact.
The column of black smoke, visible for miles around, immediately triggered red alert.
For safety reasons, the entire stretch between Caianello and Capua has been closed, both towards Naples and Rome. A massive rescue operation is underway on site: several firefighter teams are working to contain the blaze and cool the tank to prevent explosions, supported by Highway Police patrols and medical and mechanical assistance.
The traffic situation is critical. Within the closed section, there are already 3 km of traffic jams in the direction of Naples, with motorists stranded for hours. Staff at the Cassino branch of Autostrade per l'Italia are distributing water to stranded motorists. There are also queues at the mandatory exits: 1 km at San Vittore and 2 km at Santa Maria Capua Vetere.
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Currently, there are 6 km of traffic jams at the mandatory Caianello exit towards Naples and 6 km of traffic jams between Santa Maria Capua Vetere and Capua towards Rome.
Alternative routes
For those traveling during these hectic hours, Autostrade recommends alternative routes to bypass the "black hole" between the upper Caserta area and Capua:
For those traveling to Naples: The recommended exit is Cassino, then take the main road and rejoin the motorway at Capua station. For long-distance travel from Rome to Naples, we recommend taking the A24 Rome-Teramo motorway, following signs for Pescara. Continue along the A25 Torano-Pescara motorway, then join the A14 Bologna-Taranto motorway towards Bari. From there, near Canosa, continue along the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway towards Naples.
For those travelling towards Rome: Recommended exit at Santa Maria Capua Vetere and return to Caianello station.
Changes and revisions to this article
- Article updated on 23/12/2025 at 18:29 PM - Title typo corrected
- Article updated on 23/12/2025 at 18:34 PM - Improved image quality
- Article updated on 23/12/2025 at 18:40 PM - Improved image quality
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
This was a very serious accident, and I feel sorry for everyone involved. I hope the emergency services can resolve the situation and that traffic can return to normal as soon as possible, but I fear it will take time.