Two Big Rigs Crash, Start Brush Fire

A tractor-trailer rig crashed into another and both burst into flames on Interstate 5 on Thursday, spilling barrels of chemicals and sparking a brush fire that scorched more than 25 acres in the Tejon Pass near Gorman, authorities said.

The accident, which occurred at 4 a.m. in the mountainous section of the interstate about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, forced authorities to shut down the major north-south traffic artery for more than 15 hours. The drivers of the vehicles suffered minor injuries, according to Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Edward Osorio.

The incident occurred north of California 138 when a truck hauling chemicals grazed a refrigerated produce truck that was parked on the shoulder of the northbound lanes, Osorio said. The crash set both vehicles on fire and spilled a mix of chemicals, including organic peroxide, hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, he said. The chemicals are used to make industrial solvents, Osorio said.

Fumes from the spilled chemicals can cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system, Osorio said. Some motorists told officers that they felt ill, according to the California Highway Patrol, but no residential evacuations were ordered. “There are no homes in that area for miles,” Osorio said.

Los Angeles County firefighters extinguished the vehicle and brush fire within two hours, but authorities ordered the freeway closed while they cleaned up the spill. The cleanup was expected to last late into the evening Thursday.

One member of the cleanup crew suffered heat exhaustion during the hours-long effort, Osorio said.