Burning of Atlanta 2017: Overpass fire reportedly began as a simple discussion about smoking crack

Brett T. | 10:21 PM on April 01, 2017

There won’t be a better tweet than this one commemorating the setting of a fire so hot it managed to disintegrate a concrete and steel overpass in Atlanta this week.

The Atlanta PD have just released a sketch on the suspected #I85 arsonist. pic.twitter.com/M8Nx6zFvtx

— Greg A. Ryan (@TheGoodDocGR) March 31, 2017

On Saturday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that three people had been arrested in connection with the fire that prompted U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to release $10 million for initial repair work alone.

Fire under I-85 overpass started when 3 upstanding citizens met up to smoke crack, had a disagreement and set a chair on fire. #atlantafire

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) April 2, 2017

https://twitter.com/RobProvince/status/848336496708988929

Why would a burning chair have such an effect on concrete and steel? What am I missing?

— Johnny Dreg (@Patmar317) April 2, 2017

Storage area for fiber optic cabling — for a decade. Not secured. https://t.co/8PHdNQVsVE

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) April 2, 2017

Area of PVC piping & junk was not entirely secured — easy to see well-worn foot path around fence from road underneath I-85 #atlantafire pic.twitter.com/VgducPDKs3

— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) March 31, 2017

Basil Eleby told investigators he had discussed smoking crack with two companions, Sophia Brauer and Barry Thomas, under the highway overpass before deciding to do the drug alone. Thomas, however, told investigators he watched Eleby place a chair on top of a shopping cart, reach under the shopping cart and ignite it, according to an affidavit.