Tanker with 9,000 gallons of fuel overturns on 110 Freeway in Florence; 1 dead

A tanker truck carrying jet fuel overturned on the 110 Freeway in Florence, resulting in one fatality and two injuries, and led to the closure of the freeway, which has since reopened.

The crash occurred on the northbound lanes of the thoroughfare just before 11 p.m. Saturday near the Century Boulevard exit, with the Los Angeles Fire Department responding to the scene to clear hundreds of gallons of spilled fuel that covered the roadway. Emergency personnel discovered one deceased individual beneath the overturned tanker.

Five vehicles were involved in the crash, with one being wedged beneath the overturned tanker which was carrying 9,000 gallons of fuel. The driver of that vehicle did not survive, while two others were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The tanker truck driver managed to escape by kicking out the front windshield but appeared unharmed. He self-transported to the hospital to be checked out. 

"I was headed northbound on the 110 and the traffic started slowing down. And then, on my left side, traffic came to a complete stop and all I heard was a screeching noise. And the guy, I guess the guy hit me. I didn't even notice until I ended up on the side of the freeway," said Filipo Lafaele, the tanker truck driver. 

While the southbound lanes of the 110 Freeway have reopened, the northbound lanes remained closed for investigation until about 12:30 p.m. when they too were reopened. 

None of the vehicles caught fire, although fire crews exercised extreme caution due to the fuel spill. They successfully prevented the fuel from entering the storm drain by siphoning and pumping it out after drilling holes in the tank.