A massive fire believed to have started in a homeless encampment beneath the 110 Freewayhas turned into a commuter nightmare in Los Angeles, with northbound lanes expected to remain shut indefinitely over fears the blaze may have damaged the roadway’s structure.
The fire erupted Monday night beneath an overpass in Wilmington, near the Port of Los Angeles, forcing authorities to shut down the busy roadway in both directions,according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The southbound lanes finally reopened on Tuesday morning, while the northbound lanes from Harry Bridges Boulevard to Channel Street are expected to remain closed indefinitely.
A California Department of Transportation spokesperson said that crews were still trying to assess the damage to the structure on the northbound side.
“We’re trying to get a sense of how thick that structural depth is on the freeway so we can see whether the fire has burned the underside of the freeway, which could impact the concrete, the rebar, the girders,” a Caltrans spokesperson toldKTLA.
“But until we can get in there, until it gets cool enough, until the Los Angeles Fire Department can get that fire knocked down, we can’t get a sense if it has even damaged the freeway and if a load of traffic can be on there.”
LAFD Public Service Officer Lyndsey Lantz told The Post that the structural integrity of the freeway is something they are keeping an eye on.
“It is something we are watching, but no confirmed structural compromise at this point.”
The blaze was initially reported as a “rubbish fire,” according to fire officials. Investigators believe it was sparked by homeless people,FOX 11 reported.
“There are encampment materials inside and around that access portal. There’s a tent and tons of debris,” Lantz previously told The Post about the area.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
