A section of I 85 was damaged by a raging fire just during peak rush hour tonight. The section that collapsed was on the NB side, but it is likely the SB side will be close for inspection - and repair. If you are headed through for travel/spring-break - you should probably avoid 85 and use the 285 loop/75 instead. It seems there were drainage pipes (PVC) being stored under this raised section and they caught fire. I heard radio reports of drivers seeing the thick smoke from as far as 15 miles.
I-85 fire: Section of interstate collapses in Atlanta - CNN.com
A section of Interstate 85, a major north-south artery for the Southeast, collapsed Thursday evening in north Atlanta after a massive fire, officials said
All lanes of the highway 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.
The bridge collapsed about 7 p.m. as crews were battling the massive fire. No injuries were reported. It's unclear what caused the fire, the Atlanta Fire Department said.
Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters the company that originally built the elevated highway would assess the damage.
"It's going to take some time to get it repaired and to get it back in service," he said, without offering a time frame for reopening.
