10 Freeway in downtown L.A. shut down after fire; Newsom declares state of emergency
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles was shut down indefinitely after a fire caused by two wooden pallet yards catching fire.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to help speed cleanup and repair and direct Caltrans to investigate whether to request federal assistance.
- The fire was reported shortly after midnight Saturday morning in the 1700 block of East 14th Street after a pallet yard under the freeway caught fire and spread to a second pallet yard nearby.
- Firefighters from 26 companies and one helicopter responded to the scene and kept the fire from spreading into nearby commercial buildings.
- Hazmat teams are waiting on firefighters to finish mopping up the area and will head in to ensure that it’s safe for structural engineers to go in and assess the extent of the damage to the freeway.
SUMMARY
The 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles was shut down indefinitely in both directions after two wooden pallet yards caught fire, damaging an overpass and destroying several vehicles, including a firetruck. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to help speed cleanup and repair and direct Caltrans to investigate whether to request federal assistance. The fire was reported shortly after midnight Saturday morning in the 1700 block of East 14th Street after a pallet yard under the freeway caught fire and spread to a second pallet yard nearby. Firefighters from 26 companies and one helicopter responded to the scene and kept the fire from spreading into nearby commercial buildings. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power also assisted by boosting water pressure in the area to compensate for the high volume needed. Hazmat teams are waiting on firefighters to finish mopping up the area and will head in to ensure that it’s safe for structural engineers to go in and assess the extent of the damage to the freeway.