I-85 Collapse Latest: Homeless Man With Long Arrest Record Charged With Setting Fire; 2 Others Arrested For Related Crimes

ATLANTA, GA — Three people who investigators believe are homeless, have been charged in connection to the massive fire that led to the collapse of a stretch of Interstate 85 that authorities now say will be closed in both directions for at least three months, the rough estimate for completing required reconstruction and repair work.

The Georgia Fire Marshal's Office said the fire was set by Basil Eleby, 39, who has a long history of drug arrests, and investigators believe went to his favored area for smoking crack cocaine. He met two other people there who told investigators they watched as he used a lighter to set an abandoned chair afire.

Eleby was charged with arson and first degree criminal damage to property. The two people with him, Sophia Brauer and Barry Thomas, were charged with criminal trespass. They said they ran from the area as the fire spread, according to investigators. The fire would eventually strengthen enough to shoot flames from the ground beneath an I-85 bridge to the underside of the highway itself.

.Eleby denied to investigators he set the chair afire, according a report summarizing their interview with him. Eleby acknowledged that he had been at the site where the fire originated, investigators reported, but he claimed he had left shortly before the fire started.

Investigators provided a different conclusion.

“We believe that Mr. Eleby started a fire that led to the overpass being damaged," said Glenn Allen, communication director with the Georgia Department of Insurance/State Fire Marshal's Office.

Eleby said nothing during a brief court hearing Saturday and was ordered held on $200,000 bail by Fulton County Magistrate Court Judge James Altman, according to the AJC.

Eleby has been arrested 19 times since 1995, mostly on drug offenses, according to the newspaper based its review of jail records.

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Atlanta has long been plagued by jammed highways and traffic snarls before the fire, and commuters will need to figure out how best to get around the closed section of highway, no easy feat considering the most logical alternatives on paper don't reflect the traffic jams that already plague those routes, which will now have to absorb some portion of the 400,000 daily drivers who seldom used any highway other than I-85 because it provided a straight shot into and out of Atlanta.

The Georgia DOT said it will follow an "aggressive schedule" to replace this portion of the interstate.

A determination was made by state inspectors that the "southbound sections of I-85 received damage from the fire requiring the replacement of those sections, as well as the collapsed section on the northbound bridge and possibly other adjacent sections," Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said Friday.

"Georgia DOT is committed to assisting these experts in any manner and with all available information needed to reach a final determination on the cause of this incident, and is encouraged by recent developments toward the completion of the investigation," the agency added. "The department has been advised that necessary work to repair and reconstruct the roadway may proceed in an effort to open the highway for motorists as quickly as is feasible."

Demolition began Friday and is expected to continue through early next week. This dismantling must be carefully done to "minimize damage to the existing stable roadway" and not disrupt the bridge columns on the existing structure, the state said.

Once demolition is done, crews will begin outlining a scope of work needed, which will allow for a more accurate timeline of repairs to be released.

The state also says a high-voltage power line and gas line have been identified in the area, requiring workers to take additional precaution during the demolition and subsequent construction phases of the project. The Georgia DOT bridge designers are working on finalizing the beam designs for the new sections of the road, and will begin the construction phase soon after the demolition work is completed.

Recognizing the closure has had a drastic impact on traffic, GDOT notes the northbound lanes of I-85 near the Peachtree Road overpass have been reconfigured to allow for two travel lanes to continue northbound up to the Buford-Spring Connector for local motorists only.

At that point, all local traffic is now routed to the Buford-Spring Connector where vehicles travel through and return to I-85 North near Sidney Marcus Boulevard.

This reconfiguration work includes the placement of concrete barrier as well as striping the lanes, which will help improve mobility through the area for motorists. Vehicles passing through metro Atlanta should still plan to utilize I-285 as the most efficient route of travel, however.

This new layout configuration of the roads will be ready for Monday morning travel and remain in place as long as necessary.

Motorists should be prepared for new traffic patterns as they drive the corridor, and are encouraged to continue to seek alternate routes, ride MARTA or GRTA, contact Georgia Commute Options and utilize their preferred wayfinding app.

The Department of Public Safety has been working with the trucking industry and all trucking-related associations since the start of this event advising them of restrictions and needed route adjustments.

"The department and its partners are committed to working together to help minimize the impacts to the traveling public, while ensuring a new bridge is delivered as quickly as possible," GDOT added.

Crews have already started design work of the sections known to be damaged, and they continue to update those designs as information comes into the agency.

In a news briefing held at the site Friday, Commissioner McMurry said "this is a dynamic situation," and crews are learning as much as they can as time goes forward.

The big question everyone wants to know, McMurry continued, is how long this will be a thorn in the collective side of metro Atlanta. While the state can't provide an exact timeline, you should be ready to have this inconvenience in the back of your mind for "at least several months," the commissioner stated.

"That is no small feat, but we are up to the challenge," he said.

SEE ALSO:

• I-85 Bridge Collapse: Alternate Routes, Traffic Info, Open Streets
• I-85 Collapse: Use MARTA, Pack Your Patience, Officials Warn
• I-85 Bridge Collapse: Governor Declares State Of Emergency
• What Does I-85 Collapse Mean For Atlanta Schools?
• I-85 Bridge Collapse: Will It Affect Fulton Schools?
• I-85 Bridge Collapse: DeKalb Schools Make Decision On Classes
• I-85 Bridge Collapse: Gwinnett County Reacts, Commutes Shift

Georgia DOT will get a boost from the federal agency tasked with its oversight. The U.S. DOT said Friday it will award $10 million in emergency relief funds to jump-start repairs.

“The quick release of these funds will help to ensure the bridge is repaired safely and in a timely manner to prevent any further disruption to the hundreds of thousands of people who travel it on a daily basis,” said Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “I also commend the first responders who saved countless lives by taking swift and appropriate action at the onset of this incident.”

The $10 million in “quick release” funding will be used to restore emergency access and to initiate the most critical repairs to these damaged roadways and bridges in the next few weeks.

The bridge was built in 1953 and reconstructed in 1985 to accommodate increased traffic volumes. This section of I-85 carries an estimated 400,000 vehicles per day.

The area where the fire originated, the commissioner continued, is part of the state right of way that's used as a storage location for construction material, equipment and supplies. The site, a "secured area," contained items such as PVC piping, a "stable, non-combustible material," the commissioner stated.

"We are as eager to learn the cause of this fire as anyone, which is why we will continue to work closely and in full cooperation with fire investigators to determine exactly how the fire was started," he added.

No citizens or public safety crews were injured in connection to the fire and bridge's collapse. City of Atlanta, Fulton County and state government offices in the area delayed opening until 10 a.m. Friday to give employees time to find alternate routes around the closure.

Governor Nathan Deal late Thursday evening declared a state of emergency for Fulton County following the fire and collapse.

On Friday, Deal said he met with officials from the U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration and state leaders and received the latest details on the the transportation crisis that's having a ripple effect across the Peach State.

While officials continue to assess the damage, Deal pleaded with the public for patience and understanding.

"The fact that no lives were lost is a blessing, and I’m grateful for the courage, hard work and tireless efforts by our state and local first responders," he added. "I’m also thankful for the timely response from the federal government. Their expedited assistance will allow GDOT, city officials and private contractors to begin work immediately. The state of Georgia, city of Atlanta and federal government are committed to an expedited and safe resolution of this disaster."

Of course, while the state is devoting huge resources to respond and plan for repairs, the process will be long and painful. New beams for the bridge, according to the governor, have to be cast, poured, tested, transported and installed on an individual basis.

"During this time, public safety is our chief priority and primary concern," he said. "With your help, we will be better able to ensure the safety of motorists, travelers, first responders and construction crews.”

Col. Mark McDonough, the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, described the transportation crisis as the cork being put back into the bottle.

“This is time to start planning and looking for an alternate route on how you do your business," he said.

Due to the I-85 collapse, MARTA said it will provide additional services to accommodate the influx of passengers. It also noted it will cancel any scheduled single-tracking throughout the weekend.

If you insist on using your vehicle as your primary way to get around, here is what you need to know, per Georgia DOT:

• I-85 is closed from I-75/Brookwood split to the North Druid Hills exit;
• Motorists traveling northbound on I-85 from the southside of Atlanta will be diverted to northbound I-75 at Brookwood near 17th Street;
• Motorists traveling southbound on I-85 north of Atlanta will be diverted to northbound lanes of S.R. 400;
• Motorists traveling southbound on S.R. 400 from north of Atlanta will be diverted at the Sidney Marcus exit; and
• I-285 and I-20 are both open to traffic and are the best alternatives for motorists to utilize, if possible.

GDOT and other state and local transit agencies are working to identify all possible options for commuters, including utilizing the Xpress Bus Service and Peach Pass express lanes.

Residents are strongly advised to regularly monitor GDOT's website and Facebook page for any updates.

Image via Georgia Department of Transportation and Atlanta Fire Rescue/Twitter