Massive building fire temporarily shuts down interstate highway in Louisville, Kentucky

A huge fire broke out in Louisville, Kentucky, early Wednesday, sending thick smoke plumes into the air over a portion of I-64 in the city's Portland neighborhood and shutting down the highway in both directions. The highway had reopened by noon.

Firefighters were called to the scene of the blaze at around 4 a.m. local time, said Donovan Sims, the public information officer for the Louisville Fire Department. Sims told CBS News that crews quickly contained the fire, and no one was injured. 

The fire originated inside a vacant, one-story commercial building located near one side of the highway. Video footage from the scene that the Louisville Fire Department shared with CBS News showed the structure completely ablaze before sunrise. 

Additional footage shared later by CBS affiliate WLKY showed the flames extinguished, although at the time some traffic disruptions remained, the station reported.

Earlier, all eastbound and westbound lanes were blocked along a stretch of I-64, transportation officials announced on social media. They said several hours after the fire broke out that inspectors were on site to evaluate a nearby bridge on the interstate, and noted that the portion of I-64 surrounding it would likely remain closed for a while.

KYTC bridge inspectors are on site and assessing the I-64 West bridge near mile marker 3.4, following a nearby building fire. This portion of I-64 West is anticipated to be closed for several hours and motorists are advised to seek an alternate route. https://t.co/nAj6pXSZit

— KYTCDistrict5 (@KYTCDistrict5) December 27, 2023

The vacant building where Wednesday's blaze ignited has caught fire before. Sims told CBS News that Louisville firefighters have responded to two fires at the site in the last year alone, with a car fire causing at least one of those incidents. 

What caused the blaze Wednesday morning is still under investigation. Sims said an arson team was on-site evaluating the situation along with other fire officials. 

In:
• Louisville
• Fire
• Kentucky

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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