Big rigs burn in California freeway tunnel

Source: CNN

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The major north-south freeway through north Los Angeles County was shut down Saturday after a fiery pileup in a truck-only tunnel injured at least 10 people and left at least one person missing.

The fire continued to burn Saturday morning, with black smoke boiling out of both sides of the Interstate 5 tunnel and orange flames clearly visible.

"Initially, we had explosions, and we're continuing to have explosions inside the tunnel," said Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Jason Hurd.

At least 15 big rigs were involved in the accident that began late Friday when two trucks collided inside the tunnel, Hurd said. Wreckage was spread out over half a mile, The Associated Press reported.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/13/tunnel.fire/index.html

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Damn, terrible scene showing on CNN right now.

There's I-405 over Sepulveda Pass and State Route 101 (the Hollywood Freeway) just west of I-5. Imagine the disaster if it had been the only north-south route through L.A...

And south of where the 14 branches off and heads up to the Antelope Valley. It is north of the Sepulveda Pass. So yes, it is the only major roadway through those hills.

truck-only route through the tunnel that I didn't even know was there. They have reopened the car route, so only trucks are faced with a nearly 100-mile detour via the 126 and 101.

All those extra trucks are gonna be going right behind my office on the 101. Yikes.

I would be rather surprised if they didnt.

That's about 15 minutes away from me.
So glad my husband was off today - its going to be a nightmare on the roads, even for a Saturday.

And one person missing. Doesn't bode well. Hoping for their family...

The Shock Doctrine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kieyjfZDUIc

Mexico, the ones we are now allowing into our country will little or no safety regulation? I used to live in the Santa Clarita area off of I-5. If it gets bottled up, it affects the whole city.

Here is the call log from Caltrans

5 South Before Pico Canyon Rd Traffic Collision - No Injuries 8:43 AM
5 South Tru at 14 North Vehicle Fire 10:41 PM

Thomas Guide Map Coordinates: Page 4641, Grid 7C
Yellow Semi Truck on Fire, Blocking Unknown Lane 10:42 PM
Message/Item Delivered LA County Fire Department 10:44 PM
Reporting Party Advsed He and His Grandmother Were Driving on North Side and Saw a Yellow Big Rig Explode, the Whole Sky Lit Up 10:44 PM
Per Reporting Party Semi Truck Exploded 10:45 PM
This Will Be South Truck Rd 10:55 PM
Lacofd 3-5 Big Rigs Fully Involved 10:55 PM
Please Get Updated ETA from Fire Department 10:57 PM
146 Party Trapped Inside 10:57 PM
3-5 Semi Fully Invld-@ the Tunnels of the Truck Route with Access Issues-Per Lacofd 10:59 PM
Another Overturned Just South of Location Requested Blocking All Lanes at Truck Rout Also Sierra Higway 10:59 PM
Divert Trfc from North and South Truck Right-511 Will Shut Down North Truck Lanes 11:01 PM
Semi on South Side is now Also on Fire-Please Advise Lacofd 11:01 PM
Please Advise Lacofd There Are 2 Additional Overturned Vehicles // North and South Im the Truck Right 11:01 PM
Caltrans-Please Start for a Hard Closure to Shut Down Both the North and South Truck Lanes 11:03 PM
CHP Unit on Scene 11:06 PM
Message/Item Delivered to 98-S7 Will Have 98-51 Roll for this from the Office 11:07 PM
146 Advise 1 Party Just Came Out of the Tunnel and Has a Broken Leg and Needs Oxygen //1039 Lacofd with Info 11:08 PM
Message/Item Delivered 56-S9 Advised Roll 406 or Other Available Unit to Assist-56-108 En Route 11:13 PM
Please Issue Sigalert for the North 5 Truck Lanes to 14 and the South 5 Truck Lanes to 14-Unknown Duration at this Time-Thanks 11:13 PM
Per LA County Fire Department ** Please Have Units Close Down All Lanes-North 5 at Balboa-the Bridge is Starting to Colapse 11:14 PM
Message/Item Delivered Media 11:16 PM
Please Conf Where Wvly Should Respond--They Will Be Travelling Under the Bridge at Balboa 11:18 PM
LA County Fire Department Wants All Lanes Closed Down South 14 at San Fernando Rd As Well-They Are Having Problems with Bridge 11:19 PM
Affirm All Lanes =-Main Portion 11:20 PM
56-406 En Route to Shut Down All North Lanes Just South of Balboa / ETA 3 11:21 PM
Sigalert Issued on the Blue Freq-Sig Log 3813 11:24 PM
Trfc Shut Down South 5 at Weldon // Will Hold Trfc Due to Heavy Smoke 11:25 PM
98-51 En Route to Shut Down North 5 All Lanes-Diverting Tfc to 118 * Please Roll Caltrans for Hard Closure-6 Lanes Here-ETA When Avail-Thanks 11:27 PM
Lacofd Supervisor Picket Request Ing South 5 at Calgrove All Lanes Shut Down,, and North 5 at Balboa 11:27 PM
Wants to Know If Anyone is Coming to Get Them off of the Bridge 11:30 PM
Reporting Party is Frightened Because of Multiple Explosions and Parts of the Bridge Are Falling 11:30 PM
Reporting Party is 1St Vehicle Stopped South 14 to North 5 11:30 PM
Request 2 Units to Divert Trfc from South 5 at Calgrove Onto the Old Rd //req Caltrans with Hard Closure Here 11:32 PM
Message/Item Delivered Mait Sgt Karol-Will Be En Route 11:33 PM
89-3 En Route to Shut Down South 14-25 Mins ETA 11:33 PM
Per 56-406 Traffic Still Has Access from 210 to North 5 11:35 PM
Message/Item Delivered Mobile Road Enforcement Sgt Bower Will Attempt to Get a Couple of Mobile Road Enforcement to Respond 11:36 PM
406 Will Respond to Close 210 to Take Traffic off Possible at Yarnell 11:39 PM
E49 Running Break now to Divert Tfc off at Calgrove 11:44 PM
80 Other Vehicles Are Stopped Behind Reporting Party 11:47 PM
Reporting Party is in Chry Concord Blue 4 D in the #2 Lane Party is Right Before the Curve 11:47 PM
CHP Unit on Scene 11:51 PM
Per 78-S6 at Ofc-Scvso is Implementing Their Emergency Plan-Will Be at Intersections-Sierra Hwy/san Fernando and the Old Rd/calgrove 11:54 PM
Per David / Several More Explosion Are Occuring now Fire is now at the Top of the Bridge Area 11:55 PM
Also Panorama Tow Avail With Low Boy and Hd S If Needed 12:01 AM
US Highway Express Truck Lines Involved D,, They Rolled Panorama Tow with Heavy Duty, They Have 5 Min ETA, Conf They Are Able to Responding now, or to Standby 12:01 AM
89-3 is 97 South 14 at Placerita-Running Break to Shut Down at San Fernando 12:01 AM
Message/Item Delivered on-Call Chief Capt Aubrey 12:01 AM
E49 Advised Caltrans is 97 South 5 at Calgrove-Setting Up for Hard Closure now 12:03 AM
Per 98-S7 They Are Setting Up the Closure now-and Per 98-51 Caltrans Truck with Sign Board is North 5 from Buena Vista now 12:04 AM
Message/Item Delivered Ross Baker, En Route with Hd Xs 3 12:04 AM
Panorama Tow En Route With 1 Hd, and Will Start Addtl Hd and 1 Low Boy for now, Can Unit Advise Access 12:05 AM
406 Has a Break Started at Polk to Divert Traffic off West 210 at Yarnell 12:07 AM
89-3 Request LASO to Shut Down San Fernando On Ramp to South 14 12:08 AM
Message/Item Delivered Scvso-Will Also Shut Down San Fernando On Ramp to South 14 12:09 AM
LAPD Inc#34 / Will Shut Down Roxford On Ramp to North 5 12:10 AM
Per S7 Transportation Management Center Please Have the Sign Board North 5 at Exit 154 (osborne)-Read 5 Closed Diverting Tfc off to the 118 Freeway-Thanks 12:10 AM
145 Advise Sierra Hy Truck Right On Ramp to North 5 Needs to Be Closed 12:11 AM
Lacofd is Also Request Ing Calgrove On Ramp to South 5 Closed ASAP 12:12 AM
Per Lacofd 12, Requesting Sgt 98 with Them North 5 at 14 Truck Route to Discuss Further Closures 12:12 AM
Message/Item Delivered LAPD Op 869-Will Shut Down Sierra Highway On Ramp to North 14 /5 Truck Route-Inc/57-Also Copies Coupe Info 12:14 AM
Message/Item Delivered Scvso-Advised They Already Have Calgrove On Ramp to South 5 Shut Down As Well As the Old Rd/calgrove I/s 12:16 AM
Per S7 Closure is in Place North 5 Diverting Everything to the 118 12:18 AM
S7 Advise Trfc Accessing from Roxford //s7 En Route to Close On Ramp 12:24 AM
E49 Advise Vehicles Still Coming into His Closure at Calgrove 12:24 AM
Message/Item Delivered 78-L1 Line 116 12:25 AM
E49 Advise Caltrans Was 97 to Set Up Closure But Left Scene Without Setting Up-Request ETA Please 12:25 AM
Fire is Going Wrong Way South 5 from Roxford 12:25 AM
89-3 Advise South 14 Shut Down at San Fernando and San Fernando On Ramp to South 14 is Shut Down 12:26 AM
S7 Advise at Encinitas/roxford On Ramp to North 5-Shut Down for now-Request Caltrans for a Hard Closure 12:27 AM
Lacofd Request Sup 98 at Their Coupe Sierra On Ramp to North 5-S7 Copies 12:28 AM
Coupe is now North Truck Lanes Just North of 210 Per S6*********** 12:29 AM
Caltrans Closing Roxford On Ramp to North 5 now Per S7 12:30 AM
Bfcb L/l with Caller Who Was 1 of 1St Detoured South-He is on the Old Rd and Can T Get Through Fire Trucks-Please Advise 12:32 AM
E49 Advise Put Out a Flare Pattern on the South Side of Calgrove, All Vehicles Exiting South On Ramp 12:33 AM
S7 Advise North 5 at Truck Lanes with a Semi Partially O/side-Will See If They Can Clear It 12:34 AM
Please Confirm Caltrans is En Route with Hard Closure-South 14 at San Fernando Per 89-3 12:35 AM
Please Roll LAPD to Shut Down Yarnell On Ramp to West 210 // Already Have Inc#34 12:38 AM
E63 Standby at the Closure at the Truck Lanes 12:39 AM
89-3 Advise Vehicles Are Wrong Way Down 14 Exiting San Fernando-89-3 Has No Traffic Control at the Bottom of the Onr/ofr-Also Losing Flares-LASO not 97 12:40 AM
Message/Item Delivered LAPD Op 273,,,, With Info Line 133 12:41 AM
S7 Advise Have Ross Baker Standby off Freeway-in the Process of Clearing Vehicles off Freeway Per Lacofd at this Time-Request Tow Truck Required S to Standby 12:44 AM
LAPD Op #257 Advise Their Unit Has Roxford On Ramp to North 5 Shut Down 12:46 AM
Caltrans On Scene North 5 at Roxford and Will Be Starting Closure in a Few 12:47 AM
Caltrans Please Advise ETA Per 98-S7, 98-L1 for Your Hard Closure-North 5 at the 118 12:52 AM
Per 145 Hd Needed South Truck Right to Sierra Hy or South 5 Truck Right Just South of Sierra Highway Off Ramp 1:16 AM
E63 Advise Panorama Tow 97-Request to Know Where They Are Needed 1:16 AM
145 Request Unit to Stage Sierra On Ramp to North 5 Truck Right and 14 //503 Copies and En Route 1:17 AM
502 Advise Panorama Tow is 97 South Just North of Tunnels 1:23 AM
E4 Advise Have All Message Sign Signs That Are Just North of 126 Read: South 5 Closed Use 126 1:25 AM
Please Confirm If the Message Sign Signs on the 14 Are Activated Advising of the Closure Per 89-1-Thanks 1:28 AM
56-102 Inquiring Best Access for Fire 1:29 AM
145 Advise Still Need a Hd-South Truck Right Just South of Sierra Hy Off Ramp-Panorama Tow Copies and En Route 1:33 AM
Per S7 Advising Tfc is Coming in at 70 Mph at High Speeds-Unsafe Conditions for CHP to Standby-Caltrans When You Go On Scene Please Advise US Highway and We Will Run Breaks-Altadena CHP is Assignment Completed for Officer Safety Reasons 1:35 AM
145 Advise He Needs a Flatbed Tow Truck for the Trailer and a Boom for the Truck Cab and Part of the Trailer-this is a Set of Doubles Blocking All Lanes-Panorama Copies 1:38 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 1:39 AM
E43 97 Calgrove/5-Taking Vehicles off Wrong Way to Get Them Out of the Closure 1:40 AM
So211 Advise With 511 North 5 at Weldon Turning Vehicles Around-Big Rigs Having Trouble-Turning Around 4 Wheel Vehicles 1:57 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 1:57 AM
S7 Advise Standby for Coroner Access 2:09 AM
Caltrans Please Have South 5 Message Sign Signs Show South Closure and Advise Motorists to Use 126, Please Confirm When this Has Been Done for 78-L1, Thanks 2:14 AM
Message/Item Delivered Media Line 179 2:16 AM
E4 with L1 South 5 at Calgrove On Ramp with Fire Chief//e49 Advise Caltrans Laison En Route to 98 L1 2:17 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 2:32 AM
E47 Advised Turning Big Rigs Around from South 5 at Weldon Cyn to North 5 2:43 AM
Per E29-Caltrans Setting Up Hard Closure now from South 14 Truck Route to South 5 and South 14 to North 5 Transition 2:52 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 2:54 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 3:03 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 3:03 AM
S7 Advise Trfc Reestablished South 14 to South 5 // Caltrans Setting Up to Open Up Trfc North 5 to North 14 3:14 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 3:33 AM
E49 Advise All Vehicles Are Clear from Just South of Calgrove to Weldon Thru Truck Right 3:48 AM
LA Coroner is Request # on Scene? Need Direction and Info 3:55 AM
LA County Coroner is now North San Fernando Just South of Sierra Highway Stuck in Traffic--Please Advise Units Posted There to Best Direct Help En Route to the Coupe When She Approaches Them 4:10 AM
89-3 Advise Sf On Ramp to South 14 is now Opened 4:15 AM
78-S7 Request to Know If a Ricardo Sevion and Adam Garcia Residence Involved in this Traffic Collision-If U Can Do Bcast-Family Members Inquire at Office or Ll at Office 4:15 AM
E29 Advise Main Portion and On Ramp South 14 at San Fernando is now Open 4:16 AM
E14 97 with Coroner-the Old Rd Just South of Weldon Cyn//s7 Advise She Can Access from Calgrove 4:19 AM
LA County Coroner is On Scene at Coupe 4:38 AM
E64 Will Maintain the Flare Pattern for Approx 30 Mins for Caltrans to Set Up Cone Pattern 5:09 AM
E64 Advise Caltrans Picking Up Cones North 5 at Roxford Will Set Up a Temp Flare Pattern to Divert Trfc to the North 14 5:09 AM
Howard Sommers Tow is on Ll Requesting to Know If CHP Need Any More Help With Any Type of Equipment--Ross Baker Tow Told Them That We Neeed Assisted 5:25 AM
E47 Advise Over 100 Cars on Right Shoulder Along West 210 5:29 AM
S7 Advise Ofcr Cooper is the Liason at the Fire Dept Operations Coupe 5:32 AM
E64 Advise a 78-145 Can Open West 210 When He Opens Up the North 5-E64 Advise Will Be Running a Very Slow Break to Divert Trfc to North 14 5:52 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 5:59 AM
Reporting Party Advise D Big Rigs Have Run Out of Gas on Roxford Off Ramp and Are Blocking It and Cannot Get off Freeway 6:02 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 6:02 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 6:02 AM
A 78-145 Advise Howard Sommers Hd Will Be Acc from 210 at Yarnell Heading North in Truck Rte to Acc Some of the Vehicles 6:10 AM
Hd Needs to Acc from Sierra Highway and Come Uip the Wrong Way Up the Off Ramp-Have Hd Take Sierra Highway to Foothill 6:11 AM
So 211 En Route to Hill at 210 to Assist Altadean on Fuel Spill 6:16 AM
C78-511 ER to Run the Break 6:20 AM
78-511 Advise North 5 to North 14 now Open 6:25 AM
Per S5 North 5 to North 14 is Open 6:32 AM
Transportation Management Center Copies, Message/Item Delivered Media with Update 6:36 AM
West 210 to North 5 to North 14 Open-Per 78-511 6:45 AM
South 14 to South 5 Open, However South 14 to North 5 and South 14 Truck Lanes to South 5 Are Closed-South 5 at Calgrove All Lanes Still Closed 6:52 AM
South 14 to 5 Open-Late Entry 6:57 AM
North 5 is Shut from 14 to Calgrove // North 14 is Open 6:57 AM
Panarama Tow on Ll, Request to Know If Coupe Want Them to Send the Lowboy Back Up There 6:59 AM
Tmc/dot-Please Reflect Above 2 Lines Via Message Sign and Public Info Also in Bakersfield 7:00 AM
South 14 to Both North and South Interstate-5 Auto Lanes Are Open at this Time Per 78-S5 7:00 AM
* Detour Route for South 5-South 5 Traffic Diverted to 126 /newhall Ranch Rd to Bouquet Cyn/san Fernando to State Route-14--Per 78-S6 7:00 AM
Panarama Tow Wanted to Know When CHP Will Need Them Again with Low Boy 7:00 AM
506 Advise Tks Are Ready to Move Will Need a Low Boy They Will Be in South Lane at Sierra Off Ramp Have Panorama Acc from There-Thanks 7:15 AM
Info for Link-78-S5 Request CHP Airship to Responding for Aeial Pictures ASAP-Please Advise ETA 7:15 AM
Message/Item Delivered Airops-Will Telephone If Airship Can Be En Route 7:23 AM
Message/Item Delivered Entac With Telephone for Coupe 5 /78-L2 7:30 AM
506 Advise of Possible Flooding Sierra Highway Near the Old Road // 78-200 Advise Possible from Fire Department Washing Down the Scene-Water Will Stop Once Fire Department is Clear 7:37 AM
Per 78-100 Advise If Vehicles Are Crashing There It Will Be LAPD Handle-Please Have LAPD Chk Area Thanks 9:06 AM
Message/Item Delivered LAPD Op#589, Inc#1231 9:12 AM
Entac is Ll Request Ing Info for Commissioners Office If the Alt Route Are Effective in Mitigating Traffic 9:49 AM
H58 On Scene in Area 10:42 AM
CHP Unit on Scene 10:42 AM
CHP Unit Enroute 11:02 AM
Sierra on to North 14 Open Per S7 11:06 AM
14 North
14 North on San Fernando Rd Off Ramp Traffic Collision - No Injuries 10:22 AM
23 North
23 North Past Avenida De Los Arboles Vehicle Fire 10:11 AM
60 West
60 West to 710 South Connector Traffic Hazard - Vehicle

Tunnel inferno leaves two people dead in California

* Story Highlights
* Traffic backed up in all directions
* Firefighters pumping foam into tunnel to douse fire
* 15 trucks involved in pileup on Golden State Freeway
* At least 8 people reported injured, one missing
* Next Article in U.S. »