Gov. Newsom surveys damage to I-10 freeway after storage yard fire
By SDCN Editor
Los Angeles, CA–Governor Gavin Newsom, alongside local officials and emergency personnel, surveyed the damage to the Interstate-10 freeway due to a major storage yard fire that broke out Saturday under the freeway near downtown Los Angeles.
Massive damage to the freeway structure caused the closure from Alameda Street to the East Los Angeles Connector in both directions indefinitely.
On Sunday, the governor visited the site of the fire with officials from LA Fire, California Highway Patrol, LA City Department of Transportation, California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles County Saturday to help facilitate clean up and repair work to the transportation corridor and directs Caltrans to formally request assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program.
“This is a whole of government response as we work effectively and efficiently to safely re-open this critical transit corridor for Angelenos as quickly as possible,” Newsom said.
After surveying the damage, Newsom met with local and state officials at the Caltrans District 7 Headquarters to provide an update on the incident, the ongoing response, and how state and local officials will coordinate effectively and efficiently to safely re-open I-10 as quickly as possible.
“While the repairs are being made, it is my top priority that we provide as much information as possible to ensure that our communities, our commuters, our businesses and all those who are impacted by this are well informed each step of the way,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Caltrans structural engineers will investigate the structure, assess damages, and develop a repair plan to ensure I-10 is able to safely re-open.
