405 Freeway in Sherman Oaks reopens hours after tanker truck crash

A stretch of the 405 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley was reopened in both directions Sunday afternoon hours after a tanker truck hauling 9,400 gallons of liquid propane flipped on its side, forcing the freeway to shut down, authorities said.

The freeway reopened about 3 p.m., roughly eight hours after it was closed, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The tanker truck crashed about 6:50 a.m. in Sherman Oaks, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. The tractor trailer came to a stop on its side across all southbound lanes of the freeway, just north of the 101 Freeway interchange.

Traffic was backed up south to the Sepulveda Pass and north to Sherman Way for much of the day.

“We understand there’s a great deal of angst,” Humphrey said after the crash. “We’re working as quickly as we can, as safely as we can.”

The driver of the truck, whom authorities identified as a 51-year-old man, stayed on the scene for an hour before being taken to a hospital with minor injuries, officials said.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash. The propane tank didn’t leak or catch fire, but the crash produced a small motor oil leak, officials said. Debris from the center concrete barrier spread across the freeway lanes.

Later Sunday morning, the Fire Department coordinated the transfer of the propane to another tanker before the tractor trailer could be moved upright and towed away.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash.

andrea.castillo@latimes.com | Twitter: @andreamcastillo