Man charged in Atlanta highway overpass inferno

Atlanta — A man charged with arson Saturday in the raging fire that collapsed part of Interstate 85 north of downtown Atlanta has been arrested more than a dozen times, mostly on drug charges.

Jail records show that Basil Eleby has been arrested repeatedly since 1995. Accused of starting the fire below the elevated highway, Eleby now faces charges of first-degree arson and first-degree property damage.

Sophia Bruner and Barry Thomas, both charged with criminal trespass, were arrested along with Eleby on Friday.

“We believe they were together when the fire was set and Eleby is the one who set the fire,” Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence said.

The fire sent flames and smoke high into the air Thursday from an area used to store state-owned construction materials and equipment. It burned so hot that the concrete and steel overpass disintegrated, crippling traffic in a city known for dreadful rush-hour congestion.

Florence would not discuss how the fire was started or why, saying those details would be released as the investigation progresses. Eleby’s bond was set at $200,000 pending his next court appearance on April 14.

Dozens of firefighters battling the roaring blaze beneath the roadway moved safely out of harm’s way amid telltale signs the roadway was breaking apart from the intense heat.

“They heard the cracking of the concrete,” Atlanta Fire Chief Joel Baker said. “They could see concrete was flying all over the place toward firefighters.”

Firefighters shut down the roadway before it fell and retreated safely without injury.

Experts in structural engineering said fires on highways and bridges rarely burn long enough or hot enough to cause a complete collapse — but it has happened. Intense heat can compromise even steel-reinforced concrete, said Lauren Stewart, director of the Structural Engineering and Materials Laboratory at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.