- A fire at a nearby pallet yard melted steel and collapsed columns on the highway
- More than 160 firefighters responded to help battle the blaze that closed I-10
- California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday evening
A massive fire that started at a pallet yard under I-10 in downtown Los Angeles closed part of the freeway and caused a state of emergency.
Governor Gavin Newsom made the announcement Saturday evening after more than 160 firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.
“The California Department of Transportation is currently assessing the extent of the damage and has crews ready to begin cleanup and repairs as soon as first responders determine it is safe to do so,” Newsom wrote in a statement.
The highway – with an average traffic volume of 287,500 – was eerily empty after the fire.
The connection between Alameda Street and Santa Fe Avenue will remain closed on Sunday. Officials said Saturday evening that the closure would last more than 24 hours.
A fire destroyed parts of the I-10 freeway in Los Angeles on Saturday night
More than 160 firefighters worked together to bring the fire under control and prevent further damage
Newsom’s statement will “facilitate cleanup and repair efforts and prompt Caltrans to formally request assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s emergency assistance program,” the governor’s office said.
The fire was first reported shortly after midnight in the 1700 block of East 14th Street.
Firefighters from 26 businesses tried to douse the flames after they ignited in a downtown pallet warehouse and spread to another.
According to the fire brigade, the flames spread over several trailers on the first site Los Angeles Fire Department PIO Margaret Stewart.
The fire spread to a second pallet yard between Lawrence Street and Elwood Street, melting some of the highway’s steel guardrails and damaging fire trucks.
By 2:30 a.m., pallets at both sites had been largely consumed by the fire, and crews called in bulldozers to move debris and put out hot spots.
A homeless camp under an overpass was forced to flee when sections of supporting concrete columns collapsed. It is unclear whether there were any injuries as a result of the fire.
Three nearby buildings were spared from the fire, but the highway suffered extensive damage.
The fire, which started at a nearby pallet yard before moving to another, caused cement columns to collapse and guardrails on the highway to melt.
A homeless camp under an overpass was forced to evacuate as flames spread
The highway has an average traffic volume of approximately 280,000 vehicles
Firefighters from 26 companies were called to battle the blaze after crews were called to the first pallet yard shortly after midnight
By 2:30 am the pallets had been swallowed up on both sites. The fire brigade used bulldozers to clear the rubble
While three nearby buildings were saved, the highway sustained extensive damage
The California Department of Transportation is currently assessing the damage and the state may apply for federal assistance to repair the highway
Newsom thanked first responders and firefighters who worked “tirelessly” to contain the flames.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released her own statement.
“I spoke with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and he assured Los Angeles that the White House stands ready to assist with whatever is needed,” she said.
“I have also been in contact with Governor Newsom and thank him for his assurance that the state will do everything in its power to get this highway repaired.”
Fires are nothing new in the state of California, which has historically been plagued by wildfires due to dry conditions.
The largest fire on record, the 2020 August Complex Fire, started after lightning struck and burned 38 separate areas in Northern California’s Coast Range.
In September, Newsom declared a state of emergency Tuesday in Del Norte and Siskiyou counties as wildfires destroyed homes and knocked out power.
That fire, called the Happy Camp Complex, was brought under control in late October.