Big-rig fire on 5 Freeway: 1 lane still closed in Burbank
California Highway Patrol officers are still working to reopen all lanes of Interstate 5 in the Burbank area after a big rig’s tires caught fire moments after the driver exited the vehicle Monday afternoon.
About 12:20 p.m., the CHP received an influx of calls about a tractor-trailer with flat tires traveling south on the freeway. A CHP officer tried to alert the driver but for reasons still being investigated, the driver continued traveling for an unknown distance.
“The driver got out of the vehicle, he was detained and then the big rig caught fire,” said CHP spokesman Juan Galvan.
Four of the tractor-trailer’s rear tires caught fire and burned off, leaving only the rims. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire shortly thereafter.
One lane, designated for slower traffic, was closed, in addition to the Hollywood Way onramp. The other four southbound lanes were open, Galvan said.
Galvan could not say what company owned the tractor-trailer or what it contained. Officers remained at the scene.
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