6:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
The fire that stopped traffic on I-985 in Hall County in all four lanes for about an hour Wednesday afternoon consumed about an acre, according to Gainesville Fire Chief Brandon Ellis.
Ellis said it was in the median at Mile Marker 17. “The majority of the fire was located on the northbound side and expanded to approximately just over one full acre. Our units shut down all traffic northbound with the assistance from GSP (Georgia State Parol) and moved southbound traffic to one lane for safety.”
Chief Ellis said his department had five units on the scene and had assistance from three from Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR). Traffic, he added, was delayed for about 45 minutes while units fully extinguished the fire.
Shutting down all but one lane of 985 forced many motorists to exit onto Mundy Mill Road in Oakwood. At one point, it was taking drivers 40 minutes, in bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic to travel from Blackshear Place on the southside of Oakwood to the McEver Road/Browns Bridge Road intersection via Mundy Mill.
(Pictured: Traffic on McEver Road approaching Browns Bridge Road about 4:30 Wednesday.)ย
EAELIER STORIES
HALL CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE ADVISORY:
4:45 P.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
“All lanes of I-985 have re-opened for travel. Keep in mind, traffic may remain congested for a bit (that includes the traffic on Mundy Mill/Atlanta Highway/Thurmon Tanner) because of residual afternoon drive volume.
HALL CO. SHERIFF’S OFFICE ADVISORY:
“๐-๐ต๐ด๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ณ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ข๐ฎ๐ธ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ
A grass fire has prompted the closure of all lanes of I-985 (both north and south) in the area of Mile Marker 17 (Exit 17 in Oakwood). Fire crews from both the City of Gainesville and Hall County are on the scene.”