LOS ANGELES : Freeway Bomb Scare Forces Closure, Causes Massive Jam

A pre-Memorial Day bomb scare forced a freeway closure Friday near one of the busiest interchanges in Los Angeles, backing up traffic for miles, the California Highway Patrol said.

The incident began just before noon when a motorist noticed two “devices” at the Hollywood Freeway “tunnel” leading from the westbound San Bernardino Freeway, said CHP Officer Rhett Price.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad was summoned, he said, but the devices turned out to be a six-inch pipe and a battery pack. Meantime, the roadway was shut down until nearly 2:30 p.m., Price said.

Traffic was tied up in all directions, with northbound Hollywood Freeway traffic diverted to the Golden State Freeway and then to surface streets.