Massive Fire Shuts Down 10 Freeway in Los Angeles
In a major disruption to Los Angeles traffic, the 10 Freeway has been closed in both directions following a fire that broke out at two pallet yards underneath the freeway early Saturday morning. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported the incident, which occurred at 1:46 a.m. at a storage yard located underneath the 10 Freeway at Alameda and 14th streets in downtown Los Angeles.
As a result, a SigAlert was issued and the freeway was shut down, causing extensive backups. Caltrans has announced that the freeway will remain closed indefinitely, with no specific timeline for when it will reopen.
According to fire crews on the scene, there were nearby homeless encampments and storage containers, both of which were affected by the high levels of heat. This heat also caused structural damage to the freeway and partially melted the front of a fire truck. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the homeless population living in the area.
The fire also resulted in melted guard rails on the off-ramp and damage to some of the freeway’s pillars. LAFD confirmed that the freeway will remain closed until Caltrans deems it safe. Traffic is being diverted eastbound at Alameda and westbound at Santa Fe as a result of the closure.
The California Highway Patrol has warned that the closure could last for days as city engineers assess the structural integrity of the highway. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and thankfully, there have been no reports of injuries.
