California Governor Newsom has declared a state of emergency after a major fire caused the indefinite shutdown of a busy stretch of the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles. The fire broke out in two storage yards filled with pallets beneath the freeway in the Fashion District. Over 100 firefighters were called to battle the blaze, which quickly spread to a second yard. The flames engulfed trailers, vehicles, pallets, auto parts, and other materials. Unhoused individuals were seen grabbing their belongings and fleeing from the scene.
The intensity of the fire posed an extreme danger, melting a large amount of metal and the concrete infrastructure supporting the freeway. Firefighters faced chipping concrete and had a challenging fight on their hands. The battle went on for several hours before the flames were finally subdued. However, pockets of fire continued to smoke throughout the day.
As a precautionary measure, authorities feared the compromised concrete could collapse on firefighters. Fire department trucks also sustained damage during the fire. It was necessary to bring in an excavator to dismantle and shred the vehicles that had melted together due to the intense heat.
Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, will keep all eastbound and westbound lanes of the Ten Freeway closed between Alameda Street and Santa Fe Avenue until they can assess the extent of the damage. The underside of the bridge deck is suspected to be compromised, but the full extent is still unknown. Caltrans will bring in a hazardous materials contractor to remove debris for structural engineers to assess the damage to the freeway. Unfortunately, this process may not be completed until Sunday afternoon, meaning the freeway will remain closed indefinitely.
Source: Youtube
