Gasoline Truck Mishap Closes Freeway Lanes

The northbound lanes of the Harbor Freeway were closed overnight Saturday after a gasoline tanker truck jackknifed near Gage Avenue, south of the Coliseum.

Only 15 gallons of fuel spilled onto the freeway, but the tanker’s load of 8,600 gallons of gasoline had to be pumped into another truck before the lanes could be cleared. Los Angeles firefighters stood by while the gasoline was transferred and traffic was diverted onto surface streets. The freeway lanes were reopened at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

A spokesman for the California Highway Patrol said the accident occurred at 10:37 p.m. Saturday, when a van changed lanes, hit another vehicle, and then struck the tanker truck. No injuries were reported.