CARY — The fire in a culvert that closed a portion of Southwest Cary Parkway on Thursday evening appears to have been set by someone, and town officials are asking the public for information about it.

The fire seriously damaged the 12-by-8-foot culvert under Cary Parkway and has kept the westbound lanes closed between Two Creeks Road and Lake Pine Drive. Replacing 100 feet of pipe under the road will take about three weeks at a cost of at least $100,000, according to the town.

Westbound drivers are being detoured to Tryon Road. Eastbound lanes reopened Friday morning, but will have to be closed again when construction begins.

After consulting the Wake County Fire Marshall, town officials say the fire was “manmade,” but aren’t sure whether it was accidental or malicious. They ask anyone with information to call the Cary Police Department at 919-469-4012 or Cary Crime Stoppers at 919-226-2746.