Atlanta

Cheshire Bridge Road to remain closed after fire ‘severely compromised’ bridge

ATLANTA — A major Atlanta road remains shut down — and could be for quite a while.

The city confirmed to Channel 2′s Justin Wilfon Friday that a bridge on Cheshire Bridge Road was “severely compromised” by a large fire this week.

That means drivers still need to detour around Cheshire Bridge between Faulkner Road and Woodland Avenue in northeast Atlanta.

“Yeah, the light to come over is entirely blocked off,” driver Sophia Carter said.

Cheshire Bridge Road will remain closed while crews work to repair the damage to the bridge that runs over a small creek.

The Atlanta Department of Transportation told Wilfon that the bridge suffered damage in a large fire that broke out late Wednesday night.

It started small and then spread to a gas line that runs under the bridge.

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Atlanta fire investigators arrived on the scene Thursday evening armed with a drone to examine the damage.

Wilfon also saw them take a look at a barbecue grill that someone left behind at the scene of the fire.

Atlanta Fire said there have been several fires in the same corridor that started in homeless camps.

They also said they’re hoping to recover more video from bystanders in the area that could provide more clues as to how the fire began.

The fire couldn’t have come at a worse time for Shaquana McMillan. Her new beauty services business sits near the closed section of Cheshire Bridge Road and threw a wrench in her grand opening plans this week.

“The show still goes on,” McMillan said. “I’m still having my grand opening. And I’m excited.”

Atlanta Gas Light reports they’ve completed repairs on the damaged gas line.

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