LOS ANGELES — Investigators on Saturday identified a “person of interest” in last week’s Los Angeles arson that closed a central freeway for days, snarling traffic as repair crews worked around the clock to fix the problem.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, and the State Fire Marshal released two photos in a “crime alert” posted on social media and said they are seeking the public’s help in identifying the person.
The individual was described as a man between 30 and 35 years old, approximately 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighing between 170 pounds (77 kilograms) and 190 pounds (86 kilograms). Details on how he was identified were not immediately released.
The photos show him wearing blue shorts, a black hooded sweatshirt, a green scarf and a brace on the right knee. The person is wearing a backpack and “appears to have visible burns” on the left leg, the bulletin said.
Representatives for the mayor, governor and state fire marshal did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The state fire marshal oversees the agency’s Arson and Bomb Unit, which is investigating the fire.
All lanes of Interstate 10 near downtown are expected to reopen Tuesday, well ahead of the original schedule of three to five weeks. Crews were deployed to support the mile-long stretch after the fire burned about 100 support columns last Saturday.
The fire quickly spread across 3 hectares and was fueled by pallets, cars, building materials, hand sanitizer and other items stored under the highway in an industrial district. No injuries were reported, but at least 16 homeless people living in an encampment there were taken to shelters.
The investigation into the arson is ongoing, officials said. No arrests have been made and Gov. Gavin Newsom has said investigators are trying to determine if more than one person was involved.
An estimated 300,000 vehicles use the stretch of highway every day, which runs from east to west through the heart of the metropolis and connects to other major highways. The city is asking people to avoid the area, take buses and trains or work from home.