Major Freeway In California Shutdown After Alleged Homeless Encampment Fire Breaks Out
This past weekend a huge fire broke out underneath the Interstate 10 freeway near downtown Los Angeles, ultimately shutting down the major interstate in California. The highway closure has since been blamed on an “arsonist,” but reporters out of the California area were quick to point out the homeless encampments that have been allowed to grow in this area, which many are alleging are the real cause of the fire.
The freeway, which stretches through downtown Los Angeles is the route for more than 300,000 drivers each day, per city officials, who have shared that the interstate will not reopen for another three to five weeks.
During a press conference held Tuesday, Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass shared that, “the freeway will not have to come down, so it’s not a month. We’re talking about weeks.” However, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for LA County, as commuters highlighted the traffic nightmare that has already ensued because of the shutdown.
Commuters took to X to immediately highlight how badly the impact of the freeway shutdown has been on local commuters. “3 1/2 hours to get from DTLA to the Fairfax district. It’s a mess out here,” one X user posted.
While Governor Newsom has come out and stated that an “arsonist” is to blame for the fire and it was started with “malice intent”, many local LA reporters were quick to highlight the growing homeless encampments in the area and allege that the fire may have had something to do with them.
Elex Michaelson, an anchor for Fox LA, brought up the homeless when questioning how this fire started. “Who is responsible for the 10 fwy fire?” he asked, “Obviously the person who started the fire & the non-compliant company are most responsible. But the govt. also failed. They allowed the non-compliant company to continue operating & allow homeless encampments on so many streets,” he posted.
Bill Melugin, who has reported extensively on the issues plaguing California stated, “LA Mayor’s response to a massive homeless encampment fire damaging & shutting down a key freeway in DTLA is to encourage Angelenos to get on LA Metro buses/trains which are frequent locations of violent & sometimes deadly random attacks from drugged out transients & mentally ill.”
Alexandra Datig, another political commentator out of LA, shared a local NBC report in which an eyewitness heard “many explosions” before the fire started, and stated that “during the fire there were still explosions.”
Datig went on to give her analysis stating, “Given 16 homeless people lived under the 10 Freeway bridge, the explosions heard were likely propane tanks,” she posted, “Unhoused people use them for BBQs and cooking. Many encampment fires start this way.”
Per CBS News, Mayor Bass has since come out to “urge the public not to jump to the conclusion that the fire was set by homeless people in the area, 16 of whom were living in the immediate vicinity when the fire erupted on Saturday.”
Officials are currently investigating the official cause of the fires, but Californians are looking at another three to five weeks of intense traffic as this preventable freeway shutdown halts their everyday lives.
