
A homeless man who is accused of causing an overpass to collapse on Interstate 85 in Atlanta because of a fire he set, was allegedly high on crack cocaine at the time.

Basil Eleby was one of three people arrested in connection with the massive blaze that broke out under an interstate in Atlanta on Thursday.

The 39-year-old with a rap sheet of 19 arrests, most of which are drug-related offenses, had been smoking crack before he 'maliciously set' the fire, according to a police report.

He was arrested along with Sophia Bruner and Barry Thomas on Friday. Bruner and Thomas were charged with criminal trespass.

Eleby was handed an extra charge of first-degree arson on top of an earlier charge of first-degree criminal damage to property, by a Fulton County judge on Saturday.

All three suspects, who are believed to be homeless, had gathered underneath the bridge to smoke the highly addictive drug, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Basil Eleby (pictured) is accused of being high on crack when he allegedly started the fire under Interstate 85 in Atlanta that caused a portion of the bridge to collapse on Thursday

Eleby has several drug-related arrests and was charged with arson and criminal damage to property. He is seen escorted by his public defender and two Fulton County Sheriff's office officers into the court room at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Saturday

Eleby was charged with arson after officials determined the fire was intentionally and 'maliciously set', Atlanta Fire Department spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford said to The Washington Post.

The arrest affidavit accuses the threesome of gathering under the bridge and discussing if they would smoke crack together.

'We believe they were together when the fire was set and Eleby is the one who set the fire,' Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence told the AJC.

Eleby admitted in the affidavit that he often visited the area as he was heading to and from work at a nearby tire shop and that he was there right before the blaze erupted. He told investigators he had talked to Thomas and Bruner about taking the drug together, the document continued.

Eleby said he decided to smoke alone and left the area before the fire was set, although Thomas told investigators that he saw Eleby start the fire by placing a chair on top of a shopping cart, then reaching under the cart and ignited it, according to the warrant.

Florence would not mention how the fire was started or why, as he said that information would be released as the investigation progresses.

However, he said the suspects used 'available materials' at the site.

There were no reports of casualties in the incident and no cars fell from the motorway during the fire, which is nothing short of a miracle given the usually crowded rush hour traffic in the area. Eleby was arrested along with Sophia Bruner and Barry Thomas on Friday. Bruner and Thomas were charged with criminal trespass

All three suspects are believed to be homeless and allegedly met up under the bridge to smoke crack together. Eleby (pictured) sits down on the bench for his first appearance hearing at the Fulton County Jail while his public defender attempts to cover his face from the media with a folder

Florence did not have ages or hometowns of Bruner and Thomas, whom are being held at the Fulton County Jail.

He didn't say how they ended up being suspects but noted they were interviewed throughout the day and law enforcement subsequently made the arrests.

On Friday, crews were seen working to restore the bridge after the blaze collapsed a portion of I-85.

Atlanta residents will likely face travel chaos as construction crews repair the fragmented section of the exceptionally busy motorway.

Officials have said that the reconstruction of the damaged areas could take several months - prompting a travel disaster for more than 225,000 vehicles that use the segment of the roadway daily.

The city's first responders said part of the highway collapsed due to the fire that broke out under the bridge.

Crews (pictured) began work on the severely damaged area on Friday. Officials believe Eleby 'maliciously set' the blaze and Bruner and Thomas were with him at the time

Florence said the suspects used 'available materials' at the site. Florence said it is not clear whether they had lived at the site beneath the highway (pictured)

On Friday, crews (pictured) were seen working to restore the bridge after the blaze collapsed a portion of I-85. Atlanta residents will likely face travel chaos as construction crews repair the fragmented section of the exceptionally busy motorway

Looking to the future, Atlanta residents may be facing a travel disaster as construction crews repair the fragmented section of the exceptionally busy motorway

Firefighters on the scene saved the lives of many after noticing cracks in the foundation and ordering an excavation of the area

ABC News reporter Steve Osunsami described the future for commuters in the area to be a 'traffic migraine,' and said that he expects his commute to double, as he lives just a mile from the site of the incident

ABC News reporter Steve Osunsami described the future for commuters in the area to be a 'traffic migraine,' and said that he expects his commute to double, as he lives just a mile from the site of the incident.

There were no reports of casualties in the incident and no cars fell from the motorway during the fire, which is nothing short of a miracle given the usually crowded rush hour traffic in the area.

Firefighters on the scene saved the lives of many after noticing cracks in the foundation and ordering an excavation of the area.

Atlanta Fire and Rescue said on Twitter at the time that all lanes were blocked and that residents should avoid the area.

Video from the fire department posted on their Instagram page showed firefighters battling the massive blaze.

The department wrote in the video's caption: '*Major Emergency* Heavy Fire showing under Interstate 85 in Buckhead. 2nd alarm requested. Atlanta Fire on scene.'

Firefighters said the fire burned for more than an hour under I-85 northbound near Piedmont Road. The interstate - a major artery for the US South that runs through the heart of Atlanta - is closed indefinitely

A number of upscale lofts are located near the area where the fire took place, which was just off of Piedmont Road

It is still not clear what was burning under the bridge or how the fire started. The Georgia Department of Transportation said inspectors are looking over the collapse, but there is no timeline on a fix. Firefighters are pictured extinguishing the fire

The state's top transportation official said there's no way to tell when the highway can be safely reopened to traffic in either direction

Firefighters said the fire burned for more than an hour under I-85 northbound near Piedmont Road, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The interstate - a major artery for the US South that runs through the heart of Atlanta - is closed indefinitely.

'This is about as serious a transportation crisis as we can imagine,' Mayor Kasim Reed said.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said inspectors are looking over the collapse, but there is no timeline on a fix.

The state's top transportation official said there's no way to tell when the highway can be safely reopened to traffic in either direction.

'We will have to continue to evaluate the situation and adjust as we do,' Georgia Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said.

'This incident - make no bones about it - will have a tremendous impact on travel.'

It is still not clear what was burning under the bridge or how the fire started.

Video from the fire department posted on their Instagram page showed firefighters battling the massive blaze

'*Major Emergency* Heavy Fire showing under Interstate 85 in Buckhead. 2nd alarm requested. Atlanta Fire on scene,' the department wrote in the video's caption

On Friday, McMurry said the fire originated from an area below the highway which is used 'as a storage location for construction materials, equipment and supplies'.

'The site was a secured area containing materials such as PVC piping, which is a stable, noncombustible material,' he continued.

Atlanta Fire Department spokesman Sgt Cortez Stafford said that his officers acted efficiently and effectively.

'Our guys got here quickly and shut down the interstate and said 'No one else is driving over this bridge.''

Aerial video showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky above the freeway as a line of cars stood halted on either side. The aerial video showed more firefighters extinguishing the fire on one side of the highway.

A photo posted on the Twitter feed of local WSB-TV showed what appeared to be barrels and coils under the bridge. The fire broke out in an industrial area near route 400.

Witnesses told WSB-TV that Atlanta state troopers were telling cars to turn around on the bridge minutes before it collapsed because they were concerned about its integrity.

Atlanta's public transit system, MARTA, will provide extended service through the weekend.

Witnesses said that Atlanta state troopers were telling cars to turn around on the bridge minutes before it collapsed because they were concerned about its integrity

Aerial video showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky above the freeway as a line of cars stood halted on either side. All of the firefighters were able to get out of the area prior to the collapse. By Thursday evening the fire department had the blaze under control

The bridge collapse effectively 'puts a cork in the bottle,' Georgia State Patrol Commissioner Mark McDonough said. Atlanta's public transit system, MARTA, will provide extended service through the weekend

Capt Mark Perry of the Georgia State Patrol said the agency doesn't know what started the fire beneath the bridge but that terrorism is not suspected

The interstate is a major thoroughfare for traffic heading north and south through Atlanta. The bridge collapse effectively 'puts a cork in the bottle,' Georgia State Patrol Commissioner Mark McDonough said.

Capt Mark Perry of the Georgia State Patrol told the Journal-Constitution that the agency doesn't know what started the fire beneath the bridge but that terrorism is not suspected.

Gov Nathan Deal told reporters that some PVC plastic materials in a vehicle may have caught fire. 'I do not know why they did or what the source of their transport was,' Deal said. 'But those are questions that will hopefully be answered at least by tomorrow morning.'

Deal said inspectors were at the scene and they've contacted the original company that built the bridge to come in and assess the extent of the damage.

'We're trying to determine everything we can about how quickly can we repair it and get it back in service,' Deal said. 'I can assure you we will do everything to expedite the repair and replacement of that section of the bridge.'

Firefighters surveyed the section of the overpass that collapsed from the large fire Thursday night

Mayor Kasim Reed (pictured) addressed the situation Thursday evening. He said: 'This is about as serious a transportation crisis as we can imagine'

Inspectors at the scene said they contacted the original company that built the bridge to come in and assess the extent of the damage