Overview
- The Harbor Freeway closure, which began Monday night beneath the 110 near Harry Bridges Boulevard and Channel Street, still blocks northbound lanes on Wednesday as southbound lanes reopened Tuesday morning.
- Firefighters could not safely enter the confined culvert, a tunnel that carries stormwater under the roadway, so they flooded it to knock down flames fed by burning construction timber inside.
- Crews are vacuuming out water and debris so Caltrans engineers can check for heat damage such as cracked concrete, spalling, or exposed rebar, and officials say no structural compromise is confirmed yet.
- Investigators say the tunnel was used as a homeless encampment and they suspect the fire began there, though no injuries are reported and officials have not confirmed whether anyone was inside.
- Councilmember Tim McOsker called for better detection and coordination after the shutdown near the Port of Los Angeles, echoing concerns raised after the 2023 I-10 fire that also disrupted freeway traffic.