The property that burned under the 10 Freeway Saturday was rented by a company with multiple legal disputes with Caltrans, each accusing the other of mismanaging properties under freeways.
The fire burned more than 100 concrete support columns underneath 450 feet of highway, forcing the closure of a key transit artery through downtown L.A. It’s not expected to reopen for three to five weeks, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In September, Caltrans sued Apex Development, Inc., the Calabasas-based company that rented the space, alleging it had failed to pay $78,000 in rent on the property for a year.
The state was trying to evict Apex from five freeway properties, alleging it owed at least $400,000 in back rent.
Lease agreement prohibits subleasing, flammable materials
Caltrans also alleged that the company had subleased its spaces in violation of its rental agreement. Apex sublet parts of the 10 Freeway property to at least six other companies, according to the lawsuit.
The companies included one that stored wooden pallets, a mechanic, and one that sold wire hangers and other materials to businesses in the nearby Garment District.
Photos of the area after the fire showed burned out cars, shipping containers, motors and produce strewn about the ground. Newsom said highly flammable sanitizer was among the items that burned.
In an aerial view, cleanup crews work beneath the closed I-10 Freeway…
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