I-285 South in DeKalb closed due to sanitation truck fire

A sanitation truck fire on I-285 South in DeKalb County caused backups ahead of the evening commute Tuesday, police said.

All lanes of the perimeter at East Ponce de Leon Avenue and Church Street closed around 1:30 p.m. and started to reopen more than two hours later, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

As of 5:30 p.m., all lanes were back open.

DeKalb police said they responded to the area after reports of a truck on fire.

“The vehicle fire appears to also have caught nearby grass on fire,” spokesperson Blaine Clark said.

GDOT cameras showed charred grass in a large area next to the highway.

DeKalb Fire Rescue spokesperson Capt. Jaeson Daniels said no injuries were reported.

🚨RED ALERT Clarkson: Truck & brush fire cleanup on I-285/sb (Inner Loop) at E Ponce De Leon Ave (Exit 40) still blocking all lanes. I-75/85/sb slow as an alternate. #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/fEJc8EjhOp
— Triple Team Traffic (@WSBTraffic) December 16, 2025

The closure impacted traffic on the perimeter as far north as Doraville, where I-285 intersects with I-85.

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