Mar 30, 2017

(CNN)- Northbound Interstate 85, a major north-south artery for the Southeast, collapsed Thursday evening in Atlanta after a massive fire, officials said.

All five lanes of the highway in each direction were blocked and will be closed for the foreseeable future, officials said.

That prospect sent shudders through metro Atlanta commuters, who already contend with heavy traffic. An estimated 250,000 vehicles drive daily through that stretch of I-85, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.



Cortez Stafford, a spokesman with the Atlanta Fire Department, said a unit was returning from another fire when it saw heavy smoke coming from under I-85.

"There was a 40-feet or higher wall of fire. Power lines were falling and arching heavily and falling in the streets," Stafford told CNN.

The elevated span of highway -- a few miles north of downtown -- collapsed about 7 p.m. as crews battling the fire got out of danger. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

As concrete began falling from under the bridge, firefighters were asked to step back, Stafford said. "Not even two minutes later, the highway fell with a big 'kaboom.' (It) knocked our guys back," he said.

There were no injuries.

In an unusual move, two fire trucks from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in south Atlanta came to the scene and sprayed foam on the fallen section and flames.

Interstate traffic was stopped and turned around, creating jams that extended 5 miles or more, not long by Atlanta standards, but many drivers were stuck in the area for hours.

 

Mar 30, 2017

Went down that exact road a few days ago to go downtown. Just wanted to spark conversation on how accidents like this can occur. A miracle nobody died in this seeing how important this road is.

Btw, nobody will be able to get into downtown of Atlanta, so this is also a huge blow for artist doing shows/tours there

 

Mar 30, 2017

Did the bridge have steel beams

 

Mar 30, 2017

wow....crazy to know miles away this happened i take this hwy to get to work

happy there were no srs injuries...i was expecting that since its such an important hwy

 

Mar 30, 2017

Thats the worst part there is a million workers that need that hwy to get to work. Alot of delays, traffic, and issues. Going to be h---

 

Mar 30, 2017

i hope their jobs r understanding of this ...like it would s--- to loose your job over being late consistentlywhen u hav no control ovr it. I mean what are they going to expect ppl to do?? leave 5 hrs b4 their shift just to make it to work on time.

are there alternate routes set up?

 

Mar 30, 2017

I'm pretty sure there are other routes to work, but i85 was like the main one for a lot of people. The others are out the way. I'm guessing that will happen,

 

Mar 30, 2017

atlanta highways taking after their football team

 

Mar 31, 2017

Obviously it's a good thing but how's it possible there were no injuries?

If it's one of the busiest highways with 5 lanes in both directions and it was around 7 pm when I assume some if not a lot of cars were still on it, then how could no one be hurt if it just collapsed with the cars on the road?

 

Mar 31, 2017

its because all the people on it at the time were carrying and were able to s---t the bridge before it killed anyone

 

Mar 31, 2017

Thank god for the US and their gun laws...

 

Mar 31, 2017

i thought this was going to b a srs explanation when i first started reading and was confused af for a sec

 

Mar 31, 2017

i stay 4 exits down...

 

Mar 31, 2017

A coco post... serious??

 

Mar 31, 2017

Yeah but you're probably just skating past it like Bart in your avy laughing at all the poor fools stuck in traffic.

 

Mar 31, 2017

take the backroads...

 

Mar 31, 2017

mfer b changing his name & avi too much lately

 

Mar 31, 2017

f--- you lol

 

Mar 31, 2017

ight f--- it then im done. goodbye forever.

 

Mar 31, 2017

sorry bruh, good game, good game