Flames and thick smoke were seen pouring from beneath the elevated Harbor (110) Freeway in San Pedro on Tuesday, as Los Angeles Fire Department crews rushed in to knock down a stubborn fire under the roadway. Local TV cameras captured firefighters working in the shadows of the overpass while smoke drifted across nearby streets, and neighbors watched emergency vehicles stack up and quietly wondered if their usual routes or port access were about to turn into a gridlock nightmare.
According to CBS News Los Angeles, LAFD units were on scene working directly under the freeway deck to track down and control the source of the flames. The station’s footage shows multiple fire crews positioned under the structure and moving equipment around the columns. At the time of that report, CBS had not noted any injuries or confirmed whether lanes above or around the scene were officially closed.
Why fires near the port can be especially disruptive
Blazes under or near freeway structures by the Port of Los Angeles come with a unique set of headaches and, as recent history shows, can ripple far beyond the immediate smoke and sirens. In September 2024, an overturned truck hauling lithium-ion batteries triggered a long-burning fire near Terminal Island that shut down the Vincent Thomas Bridge and nearby roads for more than a day, according to KESQ/CNN Newsource. That incident underscored how tough-to-extinguish cargo and the tight geometry of port-area infrastructure can drag out firefighting operations and magnify traffic fallout.
What officials are saying so far, and what drivers should watch
As of the CBS report, officials had not yet released a detailed public statement explaining the circumstances of the San Pedro fire, leaving the station’s on-scene video as the main public window into the response. Drivers in the Harbor area were being urged to keep an eye on official traffic channels, including Caltrans' QuickMap, while firefighters continued their work beneath the freeway.
This story will be updated as fire officials or city agencies provide more information. For now, what is clear is that LAFD crews are actively operating under the 110 Freeway in San Pedro and that nearby routes could see impacts while responders secure the scene.
