Fire extinguished at homeless encampment near I-85

Smoke rises from a fire at a homeless encampment near the junction of I-85 and Buford Highway.

Credit: WSB 24-hour Traffic Center

Credit: WSB 24-hour Traffic Center

Smoke rises from a fire at a homeless encampment near the junction of I-85 and Buford Highway.

Atlanta fire crews were able to extinguish a blaze at a homeless encampment in the woods near the junction of I-85 and Buford Highway on Monday afternoon.

No injuries were reported and no one was present at the scene when firefighters arrived, the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department announced in a tweet. A thick column of smoke rising from the fire over I-85 led to concerns about visibility on the highway, but no major traffic delays were reported.

Firefighters responded to the scene where “tents and vegetation were heavily involved,” the agency tweeted. The agency did not provide details about the extent of the damage.

Atlanta fire vehicles were stopped in the right northbound lane of Buford Highway just past the I-85 overpass as firefighters brought the blaze under control. Traffic is continuing to flow smoothly through the area.