Caltrans Begins Razing Partially Collapsed Homes
Demolition began Friday on one of two homes atop a hillside that partially collapsed onto Pacific Coast Highway and left a portion of the road between Topanga and Las Flores Canyon roads closed indefinitely.
Bulldozing equipment was being used to raze a sprawling residence on Sierks Way, one of two homes that were in danger of tumbling down onto houses and the highway below.
The home was owned by Les Steinmetz, who rebuilt the structure after it burned down in the 1993 wildfires and had only been back in the house for 18 months.
By Sunday night, Caltrans hopes to finish installing a 600-foot retaining wall made of double-decker cargo containers, which will be held in place with a concrete barrier.
Caltrans has hired a contractor to grade the slope from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week and haul the estimated 350,000 cubic yards of debris to a Malibu landfill.
Updated information on road conditions can be obtained through Malibu’s hotline at (310) 456-9982.
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