Truck fire: Dodger fans should plan ahead, use alternate routes
Angelenos heading to Dodger Stadium should allow for extra time and avoid the northbound 5 Freeway, officials said.
Traffic on the 5 Freeway in the Elysian Valley area was stopped Saturday morning when a tanker truck overturned and caught fire at a transition road tunnel at the interchange of the 2 and 5 freeways, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway are closed and the wreck will not be cleared for quite a while, said CHP Officer Ed Jacobs. Motorists can take the 110 or the 101 Freeway to reach the stadium, or use the southbound 5 if coming from the north, he said.
Public transportation is also an option, and the Dodgers list route options to the stadium on their website.
Traffic on the southbound 5 Freeway appeared to be moving smoothly several hours before the game against the Colorado Rockies, which begins at 4:15 p.m.
There have been no injuries and no evacuations as a result of the fire, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. No homes were damaged, and Caltrans is on site examining any possible damage to the bridge, said Los Angeles City Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
Aside from traffic and delays, there is no threat to fans attending Saturday’s game, he said, adding that the department is encouraging people to make extra time and have patience in getting to the stadium tonight.
Although there were some initial reports of injuries and one death in the fire, which was reported about 10:30 a.m., the department said there is no indication anyone was hurt. The truck driver was uninjured, he said.
Humphrey said there were reports of a “potential public hazard near manhole covers/storm drains in the area due to explosive runoff” from the overturned truck.
The bulk of the fuel has burned off and much of it has gone into the Los Angeles River, he said. Most of the flames have been extinguished, though firefighters were battling small fires in the river, he said.
The Fire Department is working with local, regional, state and federal environmental authorities to minimize the impact of the spill, he said.
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