(ConservativeSense.com) – A freeway in downtown Los Angeles has now been shut down indefinitely after a large encampment of homeless people caught fire, although there are no reported injuries.
The blaze erupted around 12:30 AM on November 11 in two storage areas last Saturday, beneath the now-closed 10 Freeway, where a large homeless encampment went up in flames. The freeway is located between Alameda and Santa Fe Streets. The west and eastbound lanes of the freeway were closed, significantly impacting traffic in the area.
Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass said that residents should expect an indefinite closure of the freeway, stating that there’s “no reason to think” the situation will “be over in a couple of days.” She called on the city “to come together” and “cooperate until the freeway is rebuilt.” According to the Los Angeles Times, construction can’t begin until the fire is investigated, “hazardous materials” are mitigated, and a “structural analysis of the damaged portions” takes place.
To accelerate the repair process, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a state of emergency and noted that “millions” of people in the region are filled with “anxiety” over the situation. An estimated 300,000 vehicles pass over the 10 Freeway every day.
At first, officials didn’t present a timetable for when the freeway will reopen, but Newsom announced on Tuesday that it could take from three to five weeks and that the state will “do everything” in its power to “move” that closer to the “immediate future” to avoid extending the project passed “that five-week period.”
He noted that officials will continue working on the repairs round-the-clock until the freeway reopens and that it could also reopen partially during the construction process.
The fire and destruction of the bridge are also raising questions among residents about the growing homelessness problem in the Golden State, with similar encampments popping up around major cities under bridges, in parking lots, and on backstreets.
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