Stockton Overpass Damaged By Fire Sparked At Nearby Homeless Encampment
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Two people were injured when a fire broke out at a homeless encampment underneath the connecting ramp bridge from the westbound Crosstown Freeway to northbound Interstate 5 in Stockton.
The fire started around 5 p.m. Monday night in an area near Mormon Slough. The smoke was so thick the California Highway Patrol issued a Sigalert to warn drivers about the hazardous conditions.
"It was pretty big," said Sukhmeet Singh who operates a mobile food truck on Lincoln Street. "The smoke was coming up to the roof of the freeway."
Singh was packing up his family's mobile food truck and heading home when he said he spotted the flames.
"And I was trying to go slow because I don't want to hit anyone, you know?" he said.
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Firefighters said the fire started at a homeless encampment near Lincoln and Washington Streets in an area without a fire hydrant; forcing crews to bring in water from an outside source.
Two people were injured in the fire including a woman who likely suffered burns to her arm.
"There was a car right here. I think he (the driver) got a little bit burned," said Singh.
Crews battled the blaze for more than two hours.
The smoke was so thick it made driving hazardous on nearby freeways and roads.
"People were walking over there by the fire and that was like crazy," he added.
On Tuesday, Caltrans shut down the Highway 4 West onramp to inspect the overpass and clear out debris.
"Our bridge crews found minor damage to one of the girders and then the inspectors said the damage there didn't warrant making any lane closures," said Caltrans spokesperson Skip Allum.
Allum said the encampment was on state property and in an area where the agency recently put up fencing to keep people out.
"The last time we cleared out that area was September 6th, so a couple weeks ago, but unfortunately some become repeat locations that need our time," he added.
Stockton Fire said it responds to the area at least once a day for cooking and warming fires visible to traffic on surface streets as well as the overpasses.
CBS13 asked what Caltrans is doing to prevent another fire from getting out of control and potentially damaging the bridge or harming people who live, work or drive in the area.
"Really it is an ongoing problem and what Caltrans can do is continue to repair fences and perform these encampment clearings with CHP, but it's really going to take collaboration between state and local agencies to find a long term solution," added Allum.
In the meantime, Caltrans posted 72-hour notices for those living in the encampment to vacate the area. A cleanup is tentatively planned for later this week, but may be pushed to early next week due to the Veteran's Day holiday, said Allum.
Stockton fire said the two people injured in the blaze were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
