Fire Damages I-29 Bridge Expansion Joint in Sioux City
Northbound traffic over the Floyd River was diverted and Exit 147 closed while crews extinguished a fire beneath the bridge.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Emergency Response
A fire beneath the Interstate 29 bridge over the Floyd River in downtown Sioux City damaged an expansion joint on Tuesday. Sioux City Fire Rescue extinguished the blaze, and the bridge was later deemed safe for traffic.
Why it matters
The damage highlights the vulnerability of bridge infrastructure to fires started beneath structures. Repairs to the expansion joint are still needed, so further disruption is possible once work is scheduled.
The incident was documented through a fire department response and state inspection, with Exit 147 closed during suppression. Repair timing for the expansion joint remains unknown, and no injury count beyond zero has been reported.
The players
Sioux City Fire Rescue
The municipal fire department responsible for emergency response in Sioux City, which extinguished the blaze under the bridge.
Iowa Department of Transportation
The state agency that inspected the I-29 bridge after the fire and determined it was safe for traffic.
The details
The fire was first spotted from a nearby bike trail and was located beneath the bridge near 800 S. Floyd Blvd. Flames spread to the expansion joints and were visible on the deck, prompting a temporary diversion of northbound I-29 traffic early in the afternoon. Preliminary findings attribute the fire to a campfire in a homeless encampment beneath the bridge.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Fire damages the I-29 bridge expansion joint and northbound traffic is diverted.
Later date, not yet scheduled: Repairs to the damaged expansion joint are expected.
Emergency Response
Under-bridge encampment fires routinely prompt state transportation inspections before reopening, and this case follows that protocol with traffic restored while the expansion joint awaits repair. The pattern places the Sioux City incident within a recurring set of infrastructure-risk responses that cities and state agencies manage together.
Drivers on northbound I-29 should expect possible disruption when repair work is scheduled, and should watch for closure notices at Exit 147. Residents near the Floyd River trail should avoid open fires in the area beneath the bridge.
The takeaway
Fire risk beneath bridges can damage critical structural components even when the bridge stays open. Monitoring for smoke and reporting it early helps crews respond before damage spreads.
What happens next
Repairs to the damaged expansion joint will be scheduled at a later date, and the timing has not yet been announced.
Further reading
For more on how local crews handle incidents like this, see Emergency Response coverage for Sioux City.
