Arson Fire Beneath Interstate 10 Shines Spotlight on Caltrans' Lease Program and Safety Concerns

Maintenance & RepairNuts & BoltsComplianceLeases & LoansMoney MattersDriver IssuesBehind the Wheel
Written By Jennifer Joslyn

Caltrans and state fire officials had expressed concerns about the storage of combustible liquids on wooden pallets under Interstate 10 for several years before a recent fire, which is now being investigated as arson, led to the closure of a major Los Angeles freeway for over a week. The fire has brought attention to Caltrans' $34.6-million lease program that allows private companies to rent space under and next to freeways, with Governor Gavin Newsom expecting an assessment of the program. Federal authorities have also reminded state transportation departments of regulations limiting the storage of flammable materials under highway bridges. Caltrans had been attempting to evict the lessee due to non-payment of rent, and the property had multiple safety violations before the fire.

Read more at LA Times >

Featured
State Farm Ends Coverage for 72,000 Homes in California Amid Natural Disaster Risks and Inflation Concerns
State Farm Ends Coverage for 72,000 Homes in California Amid Natural Disaster Risks and Inflation Concerns

California's largest insurance company is discontinuing coverage for 72,000 homes statewide due to increased natural disaster risks and inflation.

Minnesota Trucking Company Engulfed in Flames
Minnesota Trucking Company Engulfed in Flames

A trucking company in Minnesota went up in flames due to a significant fire ignited by a smoking semi truck on Tuesday afternoon.

Texas Panhandle Wildfires Claim Lives and Historic Losses
Texas Panhandle Wildfires Claim Lives and Historic Losses

Massive wildfires ravaged the Texas Panhandle, claiming lives, homes, and livestock, with one blaze, the historic Smokehouse Creek fire, becoming the largest in the state's history.

Texas Panhandle Battles State's Second-Largest Blaze
Texas Panhandle Battles State's Second-Largest Blaze

A wildfire rapidly spread across the Texas Panhandle, becoming the state's second-largest blaze on record.

Journalist Fazil Khan's Death Sparks Concern Over Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in New York
Journalist Fazil Khan's Death Sparks Concern Over Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in New York

Tragedy struck New York as journalist Fazil Khan, 27, lost his life in a devastating apartment fire caused by a micromobility device's lithium-ion battery.

Fire Incident Sparks Evacuation Near Amazon Fulfillment Center in Illinois
Fire Incident Sparks Evacuation Near Amazon Fulfillment Center in Illinois

Employees at an Amazon fulfillment center in Markham, Illinois, experienced an evacuation due to a nearby fire on Thursday morning.

Japan Airlines Flight Catches Fire in Collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport
Japan Airlines Flight Catches Fire in Collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport

In a dramatic incident at Tokyo's Haneda airport, a Japan Airlines flight carrying hundreds of passengers caught fire on the runway after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft.

Fire Aboard Cargo Ship Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries Successfully Extinguished off Dutch Harbor, Alaska
Fire Aboard Cargo Ship Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries Successfully Extinguished off Dutch Harbor, Alaska

After a few intense days, the fire that blazed in the cargo hold of the Genius Star XI - a huge cargo ship hauling lithium-ion batteries from Vietnam to sunny San Diego - is finally out.

Downslope Windstorm Is Possible Cause Behind America's Deadliest Wildfire in Maui
Downslope Windstorm Is Possible Cause Behind America's Deadliest Wildfire in Maui

The Lahaina Fire on Maui, responsible for the deadliest wildfire in American history, was fueled by a downslope windstorm, debunking earlier links to nearby Hurricane Dora.

Arson Fire Beneath Interstate 10 Shines Spotlight on Caltrans' Lease Program and Safety Concerns
Arson Fire Beneath Interstate 10 Shines Spotlight on Caltrans' Lease Program and Safety Concerns

Caltrans and state fire officials had expressed concerns about the storage of combustible liquids on wooden pallets under Interstate 10 for several years before a recent fire, which is now being investigated as arson, led to the closure of a major Los Angeles freeway for over a week.

Los Angeles' Interstate 10 Reopens Ahead of Schedule After Arson Fire
Los Angeles' Interstate 10 Reopens Ahead of Schedule After Arson Fire

Los Angeles' Interstate 10, which had been closed for over a week due to an arson fire, reopened ahead of schedule.

Wildfire Smoke-Induced Crashes on Interstate 10 Near New Orleans: One Fatality, Eight Injuries, and Lingering Concerns
Wildfire Smoke-Induced Crashes on Interstate 10 Near New Orleans: One Fatality, Eight Injuries, and Lingering Concerns

Early Tuesday morning, a series of at least five crashes occurred on Interstate 10 outside New Orleans, resulting in at least one fatality and eight injuries.

Highland Fire Forces Evacuations in Southern California Amid Santa Ana Wind Threat
Highland Fire Forces Evacuations in Southern California Amid Santa Ana Wind Threat

A wildfire in Southern California, known as the Highland Fire, has rapidly grown to consume 2,487 acres, triggering evacuation orders for more than 4,000 residents in Riverside County.

Santa Ana Wind-Driven Wildfire Forces Thousands to Evacuate Near Los Angeles
Santa Ana Wind-Driven Wildfire Forces Thousands to Evacuate Near Los Angeles

A wildfire driven by strong Santa Ana winds swept through rural land southeast of Los Angeles, leading to the evacuation of approximately 4,000 people.

ALAN Gears Up for Logistics Response to Maui Wildfires
ALAN Gears Up for Logistics Response to Maui Wildfires

ALAN (American Logistics Aid Network), a disaster recovery nonprofit group, is gearing up to provide support to victims of the wildfires on Hawaii's Maui island.

Ship Fire Originated in Decks Containing Stored Cars
Ship Fire Originated in Decks Containing Stored Cars

A ship fire off the Dutch coast that lasted almost a week originated in the upper decks where cars were stored, as stated by the CEO of the salvage company involved.

Lithium-ion Batteries are a Growing Concern for the Logistics Industry
Lithium-ion Batteries are a Growing Concern for the Logistics Industry

A recent fire incident on the car carrier, Fremantle Highway, carrying electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries, has brought attention to the safety concerns associated with transporting products containing such batteries in the logistics industry.

Fire Continues to Blaze on Car-Carrying Cargo Ship Near Dutch Bird Sanctuary
Fire Continues to Blaze on Car-Carrying Cargo Ship Near Dutch Bird Sanctuary

A cargo ship carrying cars remains ablaze near a Dutch bird habitat, and firefighters and salvage crews are waiting for the flames to subside before attempting to board the vessel.

One Dead in the North Sea as Massive Fire Engulfs Car Carrier
One Dead in the North Sea as Massive Fire Engulfs Car Carrier

One person has died, and several others have been injured in a major fire that broke out on a car carrier in the North Sea off the Netherlands.

Allianz Warns of Increasing Fire Risk to Supply Chain from EVs
Allianz Warns of Increasing Fire Risk to Supply Chain from EVs

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) has issued a warning about the increased fire risk posed by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in the supply chain, particularly due to the rising adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

Norfolk Southern train derailment sends Ohio residents evacuating
Norfolk Southern train derailment sends Ohio residents evacuating

After the 50-car train wreck crashed along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, a large fire began to burn and forced residents of East Palestine, Ohio to leave their homes for their safety until the blaze is under control.

Jennifer Joslyn
Previous

Large Methamphetamine Seizure at U.S.-Mexico Border Highlights Ongoing Smuggling Efforts
Next

Finnish President Cites Deportation Challenges as Border Tensions with Russia Escalate