Fire-caused collapse of Atlanta highway will cost millions, snarl traffic for months
ATLANTA — Atlanta’s dreadful rush-hour traffic could be extra nasty for months to come after a raging fire underneath Interstate 85 collapsed an elevated portion of the highway and shut down the heavily traveled route through the heart of the city.
Traffic was bumper-to-bumper on nearby streets as drivers were forced to take a detour Friday, the day after the blaze caused the concrete to crumble. Friday evening, officials announced that three people had been arrested in connection with the fire.
‘Puts a cork in the bottle’
The collapse took place a few miles north of downtown, and the effects could fall most heavily on commuters from Atlanta’s densely populated northern suburbs. They will have to find other routes to work or ride mass transit.
Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence identified the three suspects arrested in the case as Basil Eleby, Sophia Bruner and Barry Thomas. Eleby faces a charge of criminal damage to property; Bruner and Thomas were each charged with criminal trespass.
Florence would not discuss how the fire was started or why, saying those details would be released as the investigation progresses.
Connie Bailey-Blake, of Dacula, 37 miles northeast of Atlanta, waited for a MARTA commuter train to reach her job downtown. She typically drives, often by way of the interstate.
“I’m supposed to be at work at 9 a.m. and it’s 9:15 a.m.,” Bailey-Blake said. “The first few days are going to be difficult. This will be my new life.”
Georgia Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said 350 feet of highway will need to be replaced in both directions on I-85, which carries about 400,000 cars a day through the city and is one of the South’s most important north-south routes.
He said repairs will take months but declined to be more specific.
The collapse effectively “puts a cork in the bottle,” Georgia State Patrol Commissioner Mark McDonough said.
The fire broke out Thursday afternoon in an area used to store state-owned construction materials and equipment, sending flames and smoke high into the air. Fire authorities said they had not determined how the blaze started.
McMurry said his department stored coils of plastic conduit used in fiber optic networks beneath the span but insisted they were noncombustible.
No injuries were reported. Firefighters shut down the section of highway before it gave way, and made it to safety themselves after hearing the road cracking and seeing concrete go flying, authorities said.
Rail service increased
In the meantime, MARTA increased rail service and said additional staff would be on hand to help passengers figure out how to get where they’re going.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao promptly released $10 million for the initial repair work, and the Federal Highway Administration promised more in emergency repair funds. Officials gave no estimate of how much the job would cost.
Built in 1953 and renovated in 1985, the span scored high in its most recent inspection, receiving a rating of 94.6 out of 100 in 2015, said Natalie Dale, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Transportation Department.