ATLANTA — Five years ago today, Atlanta came to a standstill - literally.
The sight of Interstate-85, one of the most important roadways on the East Coast, in flames and collapsing was one of the more arresting events in recent Atlanta history.
The incident began around 6 p.m. on March 30, 2017, but quickly erupted into something more as large flames enveloped the northbound lanes on both sides and dark smoke rose from under the Buford-Spring Connector.
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Despite it being one of the busiest thoroughfares in metro Atlanta, no one was hurt.
But the damage and destruction crippled Atlanta. In the days that followed, traffic-snarled through detours and MARTA use surged.
I-85 collapse in Atlanta | Looking back
Ultimately it took GDOT crews about six weeks to rebuild the interstate. In April 2018, the National Transportation Safety Board deemed that the Georgia Department of Transportation was at least possibly responsible for the collapse – due to the decision to store construction materials under the bridge, failing to realize the risk.
The disaster became a case example for the Federal Highway Administration to warn other states not to store flammable material under bridges.
Meanwhile, the man who was experiencing homelessness at the time and accused of starting the fire emerged out of a legal saga in 2020, graduating from a court-mandated behavioral and drug abuse program and beginning a search for a new job.
There have been several incidents with fires breaking out under I-85 in roughly the same area in the years since. The issue of what to do about homeless encampments where they typically originate has never been settled.
Fortunately, though, none have spread like the one that brought down a portion of the interstate five years ago.