By yourNEWS Media Staff
A significant fire at a homeless encampment located beneath an underpass has led to the indefinite closure of the 10 freeway in downtown Los Angeles. The incident occurred on Saturday in two storage areas under the freeway, which also housed a large homeless encampment.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, both westbound and eastbound lanes of the busy freeway, between Alameda Street and Santa Fe Avenue, are affected. This closure is expected to considerably impact traffic in the region, with no specific timeline provided for the freeway’s reopening.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the situation, stating, “Unfortunately, there is no reason to think that this is going to be over in a couple of days.” She urged the community to cooperate until the freeway is fully repaired and functional.
In response to the crisis, Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency to facilitate rapid repairs, acknowledging the significant anxiety this incident has caused for the millions living in the area.
The 10 freeway is a vital traffic artery, with an estimated 300,000 vehicles using it daily. The Los Angeles Times outlined the steps required before construction can begin: completing an investigation into the fire’s cause, mitigating hazardous materials, and conducting a detailed structural analysis of the damaged sections. Engineers are set to inspect the freeway’s columns and bridge deck.
This event is one of the most significant freeway closures in the Southland since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. It is anticipated to exacerbate congestion on nearby freeways, including the 5, 110, and 710, where traffic is currently being diverted.
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin commented on the challenge ahead, noting, “This is not going to be an easy task for our structural engineers at Caltrans.”
Los Angeles previously experienced a massive wildfire in 2017 that originated from a homeless encampment. The blaze spread through affluent neighborhoods, resulting in extensive damage. The Los Angeles Fire Department found that the fire started as a cooking fire at a homeless encampment in Bel-Air, a wealthy neighborhood in northwest Los Angeles, where homeless individuals had been living for several years near an underpass of the 405 freeway along Sepulveda Boulevard.