In a scary scene that fortunately led to no deaths or injuries, a major Atlanta interstate was engulfed in flames on Thursday night, causing a highway bridge to collapse. Video of the entire scene is gnarly.
https://www.facebook.com/wsbtv/videos/10155420388005695/
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the bridge on Interstate 85, near Georgia 400 in midtown Atlanta, collapsed about 7pm ET on Thursday, and considering I-85 is a major artery, the terrible Atlanta traffic is about to get even worse for the foreseeable future.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said Thursday night that there was no evidence of terrorism, but Atlanta fire spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford said it was unclear what had started the fire because it was too unsafe for inspectors to investigate.
“The entire bridge is compromised,” Stafford said. “Right now, it’s still dangerous to go under there.”
Here’s more footage of the fiery scene.
*Emergency* Interstate 85 in Atlanta GA has just collapsed due to fire under bridge. All lanes blocked. Avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/5Pa5yJN9YI
— Atlanta Fire Rescue (@ATLFireRescue) March 30, 2017
Massive fire causes bridge to collapse on busy Atlanta interstate. https://t.co/YkNzN4X8QN pic.twitter.com/p3DRExemLb
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) March 31, 2017
A section of I-85 in Atlanta has collapsed in flames. Watch live: https://t.co/6MbnTpv4jr pic.twitter.com/Hh3SFTTOCh
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 30, 2017
BREAKING: All lanes shut down on I-85 due to heavy black smoke https://t.co/JPioBUHDXB pic.twitter.com/jANJNilFJv
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@ajc) March 30, 2017
Our @karyngreer says she saw people abandoning their vehicles on I-85 in Atlanta and just walking away from scene of massive fire pic.twitter.com/Y3pV4UZVUp
— Atlanta News First (@ATLNewsFirst) March 31, 2017
Alert update: Here’s the scene as 8pm from @11AliveNews #Atlanta. Foam was brought in from @ATLairport #fire dept. Motorists being removed pic.twitter.com/31lZcm67B9
— Aaron Ellis (@aaronellis01) March 31, 2017
Here’s what the blaze looked like from drivers’ point of view.
https://twitter.com/JackSmithIV/status/847595760011137024
I-85 Bridge Collapse Atlanta pic.twitter.com/6BtFhWtPqq
— Brent Fidler (@brentfidler) March 30, 2017
And then of course, there were the Gen. William Sherman jokes that inevitably popped up on Twitter.
I think we know how the I-85 fire started. #85collapse #atlantafire #ATLtraffic #interstate85 #InterstateFire #CivilWar pic.twitter.com/Jv3KSB5TEm
— ThatEricFella (@soubuckeye) March 31, 2017
Law enforcement releases picture of possible “person of interest” in the Atlanta fire. pic.twitter.com/83ZY7zhrnt
— FM Talk 1065 (@fmtalk1065) March 31, 2017
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said PVC plastic materials underneath the bridge might have started the blaze, and on Friday, it was announced that both sides of the interstate for a total of 10 lanes are now close. It’ll lead to even more traffic headaches and heartbreaks for Atlanta and throughout the southeast U.S. where an estimated 250,000 drivers use that stretch of highway every day.
