LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The main
highway between Southern California and Las Vegas remained shut on
Tuesday, backing up traffic for miles a day after a bridge fire and
collapse forced officials to close the busy interstate in both
directions.
The overpass,
which had been under construction over Interstate-15 near the high
desert community of Hesperia, some 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles,
caught fire during construction on Monday, said Officer Matt Hunt of the
California Highway Patrol.
The fire and subsequent collapse of the bridge forced officials to close
the interstate in both directions, cutting off the main artery between
Southern California and Las Vegas, as well as other destinations in
Nevada and Utah.
Hunt said
there were no injuries reported in the incident but both sides of
Interstate 15 remained closed as of noon local time on Tuesday as crews
worked to clear debris. Authorities hoped to reopen northbound lanes
later in the afternoon.
In
the meantime, cars and trucks were being diverted around the closed
section of highway using on- and off-ramps, he said, but traffic
remained backed up for miles in both directions.
Los Angeles TV stations showed long lines of cars and interviewed
frustrated drivers, although others took the situation in stride.
"Look where you're at, you're in Southern California. If you live in
L.A., you're in traffic 24 hours a day anyway," driver Mike Ingram told
local KABC-TV.
According to
the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, more than one in four
people who visit Las Vegas come from Southern California, with an
average of 42,000 cars crossing the California-Nevada border on the I-15
each day.
There are few alternatives for drivers traveling across the California desert between the two destinations.
