Los Angeles drivers are currently dealing with a nightmareon the roadway after a suspected homeless fire inside a tunnel hasclosed portionsof the 110 freeway Monday night and into Tuesday morning.
The Los Angeles City Fire Department said that the blaze reportedly set inside the tunnelinitially forced the closureof the 110 in the San Pedro area with all lanes of the freeway closed in both directions Monday night from Harry Bridges Boulevard to Channel Street, according to areportfrom the department.
The “rubbish fire” allegedly was started by homeless people,Fox 11 reported.
As of Tuesday morning, the closure remains on the north bound side of the 110 Freeway north to Harry Bridges Boulevard and south to Channel Street, the report noted.
The southbound lanes of the 110 Freeway have since reopened, with the northbound remaining closed from Harry Bridges Boulevard to Channel Street, according to LAFD.
The report noted that commuters traveling on the northbound side should expect delays as the closure remains in effect, with traffic diverted to Channel Street due to the fire, per the California Highway Patrol.
“While firefighters have removed a large amount of debris from the space, burning construction timber and other unmovable materials will require sustained suppression,” the report added.
“It’s really just a fire that we have to be patient with, “LAFD Asst. Chief Carlos Calvillo told the outlet. “It’s too dangerous to put firefighters in the tunnel. You’re going, you’d be going into an environment where it’s actually venting.”
“So the conditions are just smoke all banked all the way down to the ground. We believe that not only the contents in there are burning, but heavy lumber that was used to form the tunnel is all still in there, and we believe that that material is burning as well. “
KTLA’sGinger Chan reported that the reason for the prolonged closure could be a “structural issue.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
