3 Injured In Fiery Big Rig Crash On 405 Freeway In Sepulveda Pass
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- At least three people were injured Monday afternoon after a big rig overturned on the 405 Freeway Mulholland Drive in the Sepulveda Pass, shutting down all southbound lanes of the freeway.
The crash was first reported at 2:49 p.m. on the northbound lanes of the freeway.
The gravel-hauling big rig was travelling northbound when it overturned on top of a silver Honda Accord and crashed into the center divider, spilling gravel and concrete onto the southbound lanes of the 405. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the crash sparked a fire that burned both vehicles.
Seven vehicles in all were involved in the accident.
Before fire officials arrived on scene, one person was reportedly pinned under a truck and pulled to safety by bystanders.
According to reports from the scene, those injured appeared to suffer severe burns after the rig caught fire. The truck driver was among the injured.
Fire officials say two of the three people injured are in critical condition and one person is in fair condition.
The age and gender of those injured was unknown at the time of this report.
The CHP said good Samaritans pulled over after the accident when they saw the silver Accord trapped underneath the burning truck.
"They were National Guardsmen that stopped and helped to pull people out of the vehicles and pull them to safety," said CHP Sgt. Jose Ahumada.
That man was loaded into an ambulance and rushed to UCLA Medical Center with third degree burns.
The CHP said they are grateful those good Samaritans were brave enough save that man.
"Great effort. Great job. Thank you so much. I wish we had the opportunity to thank you in person," said Sgt. Ahumada.
The crash shut down the carpool, number one and two lanes on the northbound 405, as well as the carpool and number one, two and three lanes on the southbound side, prompting the CHP to issue a SigAlert at 3:08 p.m., Officer Stephan Brandt said.
According to CBS2's Elsa Ramon, officials began opening some lanes on both sides of the freeway at around 4:30 p.m.
By Monday night the situation was improving along the 405 Freeway. CHP officers opened all but two northbound lanes. Traffic was moving in all seven southbound lanes.
The carpool and number one lanes were still closed and the CHP said they expect them to still remain closed until about midnight tonight.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)ted. Wire services contributed to this report.)
