A fire broke out Friday afternoon in some brush alongside Interstate 10 in Beaumont, sending smoke through the Pass and temporarily closing down part of the roadway.
The fire was reported around 2 p.m. on the westbound side of I-10, just west of Highland Spring Ave.
The fire spread to a stretch of brush about 100 yards long and into an empty field behind the Applebee's restaurant.
Emergency crews were forced to briefly shut down multiple westbound lanes in the area, leading to a miles-long backup in Beaumont. Traffic was impacted on 6th Street, since many vehicles exited at Highland Springs to go around the freeway closure.
The westbound onramp at Highland Springs was also closed while fire crews were working.
Firefighters on scene tell Patch the incident was initially reported as a car fire, but no vehicle was found. The cause is under investigation.
Beaumont Police were spotted questioning someone near the scene of the fire, but did not immediately return calls for comment.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
