Tanker Truck Crash Spills Tar Across 210 Freeway Lanes
SYLMAR (CBSLA) — A tanker truck overturned on the westbound 210 Freeway in Sylmar, spilling 2,000 gallons of water, oil and tar onto lanes, which remained closed until Tuesday afternoon
The truck crashed into an embankment at about 11:40 p.m. Monday on the westbound 210 just east of the 5 Freeway. The driver, the only person in the truck, had to be extricated from the cab and was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
The California Highway Patrol says they are investigating why the truck drove off the freeway, and looking into whether the driver may have fallen asleep.
Firefighters worked overnight to stop a slow leak of tar from the truck before it hardened onto the freeway. Caltrans crews were forced to use steam to get it off the roadway.
Some of the tar spread to the vicinity of Foothill Boulevard and Filbert Street.
A SigAlert has been issued for all lanes of the westbound Foothill Freeway, west of Yarnell Street, where traffic was taken off the freeway. All but one lane was reopened by noon.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)