Fiery big rig crash closes lanes on 710 Freeway, kills driver
A big rig burst into flames early Friday after it veered off the northbound 710 Freeway near Lynwood and hit a tree, killing the driver, authorities said.
The crash occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. near Imperial Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Irving Pacheco, who was driving home at the time, told KTLA-TV he heard the explosion after the big rig crashed.
“I see this big rig go straight to the right. I pull over ... and then all of a sudden it just blows up,” he said. “You just hear a big loud ‘boom’ and you see it burst into flames even more.”
Firefighters arrived to find the cab of the truck fully engulfed in flames. The surrounding brush had also caught fire.
It took firefighters about 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
The truck’s female driver was not immediately identified.
The two right lanes of the 710 remained closed as of 5:45 a.m. as crews worked to clear the wreckage. There was no estimate for when they might reopen.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
