Atlanta Fire Rescue Department firefighters survey the scene beneath the Buford Highway Connector viaduct near Interstate 85 after extinguishing a massive trash pile fire at a homeless encampment on August 10, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
ATLANTA - Some midmorning drivers likely got a bit of a scare along the Buford Highway Connector as smoke was seen rising from under the busy highway viaduct.
What we know:
Atlanta firefighters rushed to the scene near Interstate 85 and Peachtree Creek. According to the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, a 50-foot pile of trash at a homeless camp caught fire.
Crews quickly pulled hoses to battle and extinguish the flames.
No injuries were reported, and the scene was turned over to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Atlanta firefighters and Georgia Department of Transportation emergency crews respond to a 50-foot homeless camp trash fire beneath the Buford Highway Connector near Interstate 85 and Peachtree Creek, echo of a major 2017 bridge collapse, on August 1 …
The backstory:
Fires in the area have been plaguing emergency officials for years.
Monday's fire was near another fire in 2017 which brought down three sections of the viaduct. That fire was fueled by utility materials stored under the bridge spans.
That fire was set by a homeless man.
It took six weeks for transportation officials to replace the damaged spans.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not stated whether any suspects or individuals at the homeless camp face charges for starting the blaze.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, who provided details about the trash fire and response, as well as the Georgia Department of Transportation.