Big-Rig Fire Ties Up Ventura Freeway
A fiery crash on the Ventura Freeway on Friday morning forced the closure of four westbound lanes for four hours, causing a massive traffic backup, authorities said.
The crash occurred at 6:20 a.m. when the driver of a Vons tractor-trailer loaded with produce sideswiped a disabled pickup truck and trailer parked on the right shoulder, said California Highway Patrol Officer Leland Tang.
Dennis Lee Downhour, 57, of Huntington Beach, apparently lost control of the 18-wheeler and slammed into a guardrail, Tang said.
The tractor-trailer’s right gas tank ruptured in the collision and caught fire, Tang said. Flames spread from under the cab into the trailer, igniting the produce.
Downhour suffered a cut on the head when he jumped from the cab to the pavement, Tang said. He was treated at the scene by Los Angeles firefighters.
The Vons truck and its contents were destroyed, a loss of about $70,000, Tang said.
The driver of the pickup, Jorge Delgadillo Perez, 47, was uninjured. No other vehicles were involved in the accident, Tang said. All westbound lanes reopened at 10:30 a.m.
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