Freeway Closed for Chemical Fire
A stretch of the Ventura Freeway near Topanga Canyon Boulevard was closed to traffic for more than an hour Saturday morning after a truck dropped a 20-gallon canister of acetylene gas, which caught fire when it hit the roadway, authorities said.
Los Angeles firefighters allowed the fire to burn itself out, said Fire Department spokesman Bob Collis. A hazardous-materials team identified the gas as acetylene, a highly flammable gas used to fuel cutting tools used in welding, Collis said.
No injuries were reported during the incident, which occurred at 7:30 a.m., authorities said. The road was reopened at 8:55 a.m.
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