Officals: Plan for traffic mess after I-85 fire, collapse

Traffic is starting to back up in and around Atlanta as the city deals with the fire and collapse of Interstate 85.

Drivers are being urged to stay off the roads and work from home if possible.

The collapse happened on I-85 northbound just south of Ga. 400 near Piedmont Road about 7 p.m. Thursday, Atlanta fire spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

But I-85 is shut down in both directions just north of Midtown as firefighters continued work Friday to knock out hot spots, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

“That is a huge section of 85 that is no longer with us,” WSB Traffic Reporter Mark Arum said.

I-85 North is closed indefinitely in the area.

"This incident, make no bones about it, will have a tremendous impact on travel," Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell R. McMurry said Thursday evening.

Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group