California’s Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District is investigating multiple fires that broke out overnight near Highway 101 in Carpinteria.
According to KEYT News, the department said the fires broke out in the storm drain system beneath the highway and the 5700 block of Via Real on Feb. 19 and 20.
Firefighters saw smoke and responded to the scene before 6 p.m. on Feb. 20. The smoke and flames was coming from two manhole covers and another opening under a bridge along Highway 101 between Bailard and Casitas Pass Rd, and along the 5700 block of Via Real.
The northbound 101 was shutdown in this area, reported KEYT News.
No gas lines were involved, and the Carpinteria Sanitary District added that a broken sewer line was not the cause of fire either.
According to Carpinteria-Summerland Fire, the storm drain where the fire broke out is lined with a thick plastic material that caused the fire to continue burning for several hours. Firefighters extinguished the flames by 7:45 p.m. Feb. 19 by pumping large quantities of water into the storm drain.
Around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 20 morning, local road construction workers reported seeing smoke coming from the same spot as the earlier flames, reported KEYT News.
Northbound lanes from Bailard to Casitas Pass were then closed around 2:30 a.m. and firefighters responded to the scene, spraying foam into the storm drain.
The foam came from a Compressed Air Foam System and the excess foam got into the Carpinteria Creek. According to local environmentalists and inspectors, the foam is an allowable discharge under state regulations and will dissipate naturally.
The northbound 101 lane closures were lifted by 5 a.m. Feb. 20 morning, but the 5700 block of Via Real will be closed until a safety assessment deems it okay to reopen, reported KEYT News.
Both fires are under investigation by the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District.
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