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UPDATED: Fire under Center Street Bridge extinguished, road reopened

Charred items under the Center Street Bridge after crews extinguished a fire. (Ardeshir Tabrizian/Salem Reporter)

The Center Street Bridge’s eastbound offramp onto Front Street in Salem is now open after being closed briefly due to a fire under the bridge.

Salem firefighters had the fire out at 11:35 a.m. and crews have since returned to the fire station, said Greg Walsh, the city of Salem emergency preparedness manager. The fire was reported around 11:25 a.m.

Walsh said the fire department has not determined what caused the fire. 

The fire burned in a homeless encampment under the bridge, where at least one resident had belongings damaged. Nobody was injured in the fire, Walsh said.

Two tents sat a few steps next to the partly-charred grass where a spread of items had been scorched in the fire.

Three Salem Fire Department crew members responded, and state Department of Transportation employees were assessing damage to the bridge Monday afternoon.

A fire under the Center Street Bridge on Monday, Sept. 20. (Courtesy/Tammy Black-Day)

Firefighters extinguish a fire under the Center Street Bridge on Monday, Sept. 20 (Courtesy/Marion Polk Traffic, Crime and Severe Weather Alerts)

-Ardeshir Tabrizian