I-10 closure in California prompts state of emergency

The closure of Interstate-10 in Los Angeles has prompted a state of emergency declaration by Gov. Gavin Newsom. As of Sunday afternoon, there’s no estimated time of reopening for the major artery that runs through the heart of LA.

“That is being assessed in real time,” Newsom said at a press conference at 1:30 p.m. Hazmat teams and Cal Fire investigators are currently at the scene, Newsom said, and structural engineers will be able to get a better look at the damage after concerns about hazardous materials are allayed. Although “dozens and dozens” of columns are damaged, Newsom said the bigger concern is the bridge deck itself. If the bridge deck is badly damaged, it could take much longer to make the roadway safe for drivers once again. 

“This is one of those heaven and earth moments,” Newsom said.

The traffic nightmare began shortly after midnight Saturday, when a fire started in a storage lot on the 1700 block of E 14th Street below an overpass, burning through parked cars, trailers and wood pallets on both sides of the highway. The inferno was so intense that a fire truck was damaged, and “firefighters also had to work around downed high tension wires when a cross arm fell on 14th street, potentially energizing the water flowing in the gutter,” the Los Angeles Fire Department wrote in a statement.

Over 160 firefighters worked the scene, eventually putting out the eight-acre fire — the equivalent of six football fields of damage. By late Saturday morning, the fire was contained, allowing Caltrans workers to begin surveying the area. Photos show charred and cracked concrete pillars that hold up the overpass. A cause for the fire has not yet been released, but Newsom said there is already “current litigation” against the company that leases the land around the freeway; he declined to comment further about the alleged violations at the site.

I-10 between the 110 freeway and Alameda Street is closed until further notice, Caltrans said. According to the city, these detours are in place:

Eastbound I-10
“Exit the freeway at the Alameda Street and 16th Street. To detour back onto the freeway, head northbound on Alameda, eastbound on Olympic Boulevard, and re-enter the 10 East mid-block on the approach to Lemon Street. Alternatively, head northbound on Alameda, eastbound on 7th Street, and enter the 5 freeway. All 10 eastbound freeway on-ramps between the 110 freeway and Alameda are closed at this time.”
 
Westbound I-10
“Re-enter the 10 freeway westbound by traveling west on Washington Boulevard, north on Central Avenue, and west again on 16th Street.” 

Motorists should check with Caltrans or LA’s emergency alerts site before heading out. About 300,000 motorists use that stretch of highway each day, Newsom said. “Unfortunately, there’s no reason to think that this is going to be over in a couple of days,”  Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “We cannot give you an estimate of time right now.”

In order to free up more funding and reduce bureaucratic red tape, Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night.

“The state is mobilizing resources and taking steps to ensure any necessary repairs are completed as soon as possible to minimize the impact on those traveling in and around Los Angeles,” he said in a statement.

Newsom said he expects the fire investigation to be done by 6 a.m. Monday. When asked by a reporter at the press conference whether the reopening timeline could be as long as “months or years,” Newsom declined to be more specific. “We’ll know a lot more tomorrow morning,” he added. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.