1 Killed, 9 Injured in FIery Crash That Shut Down 5 Freeway Near Griffith Park
By Willian Avila and Irene Moore ••
A 26-year-old woman gave her account of surviving a fiery crash Tuesday on the 5 Freeway. Patrick Healy reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.
At least one person was killed and nine others were injured in a fiery multi-vehicle crash that shut down the 5 Freeway for eight hours along Griffith Park Tuesday, firefighters said.
The collision, which involved a big rig and tanker truck near Colorado Street, forced the closure of the southbound lanes, with traffic reduced to two lanes on the northbound side.
Traffic was flowing again on both sides by 7 p.m.
About 11 a.m., one of the big rigs jumped the center divider and caused the crash and fire that followed, CHP officials said. Aerial footaged showed firefighters dousing a big rig trailer destroyed by flames. A tanker truck, van, pickup truck and two other vehicles were also involved in the crash.
"Everybody slammed on the brakes. There was an explosion," said Angel Bariz, a witness.
A triage area was set up just north of the wreck. One of the victims, a 27-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital in critical condition and eight others suffered "lesser" injuries, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. A dog was also found dead at the scene.
KNBC-TV
Firefighters extinguish flames that destroyed a big rig trailer following a multi-vehicle crash that left at least one person dead on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.
All but the driver of the big rig with the box trailer has been accounted for.
By 5 p.m. crews had cleared much of the wreckage, including the big rig with the box trailer that crossed through the center divider. Its driver is believed to be the fatality.
The tanker truck appeared to belong to DDG Transport. Darrel Green, speaking to NBC4 on behalf of the company, said the tanker was hauling milk and its driver called to report being safe.
"He had to use somebody else's phone because he just jumped out of the truck," Green said.
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A line of head and tail lights Nov. 23, 2016 as drivers travel for Thanksgiving.
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Traffic stacked up Wednesday Feb. 24, 2016 in downtown Los Angeles due to at least two crashes and debris on the 110 Freeway.
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An overturned big rig blocked traffic early Tuesday June 21, 2016 on the 60 Freeway east of downtown Los Angeles.
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Part of the 10 Freeway in Ontario was closed Friday July 8, 2016 after a mishap involving a big rig that left a transition road covered in shattered glass.
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Traffic was backed up for miles on the westbound 105 Freeway in Hawthorne after police activity caused a shut down on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015.
"Black Lives Matter" protesters said they wanted to show how the inconvenience of having the 405 Freeway stopped during holiday travel juxtaposes with the injustice in the system, on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015.
Toni Guinyard, KNBC-TV
The 110 Freeway was closed Tuesday Dec. 22, 2015 due to a fatal crash investigation.
OnScene
A big rig carrying chemicals crashed on the 5 Freeway prompting CHP to close several lanes on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015.
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Drivers are directed away from Sunset Boulevard near Crescent Heights Boulevard Wednesday Nov. 18, 2015 due to a bomb squad investigation.
A big rig overturned on the eastbound 210 Freeway near La Canada Flintridge spilling boxes of lettuce and prompting CHP to shut down all lanes on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015.
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Police shut down the 101 Freeway after a man threatened to jump from an overpass on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015.
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Traffic backed up early Tuesday Oct. 20, 2015 on the 170 Freeway in North Hollywood due to a crash.
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A truck carrying hot tar overturned Friday Oct. 2, 2015 in a multiple-vehicle crash that closed part of the 71 Freeway east of Los Angeles.
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A crash left a car under a big rig Friday Sept. 11, 2015 on the 5 Freeway near Griffith Park.
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A brush fire broke out along the 134 Freeway just east of the 2 Freeway, forcing the eastbound lanes to close during rush hour on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015.
Long Beach Firefighters
Plumes of black smoke shot into the air after a fiery fatal collision on the Gerald Desmond Bridge in Long Beach Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015.
Several cars became stuck after heavy rains caused flooding in Moreno Valley on Sunday, July 19, 2015.
Courtesy of KMIR
Part of a bridge collapsed on the 10 Freeway in Riverside County, trapping the driver and forcing the closure of both sides of the highway on Sunday, July 19, 2015.
Drivers were stranded on the 1-15 Freeway near Cajon Pass for hours after a brush fire jumped the freeway and ignited cars on Friday, July 17, 2015.
NewsChopper4
Smoke billows from a truck burning on Interstate 15 after a brush fire broke out in Cajon Pass on Friday, July 17, 2015.
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A California Highway Patrol officer performs a PIT maneuver on a pickup truck driver during a pursuit on the 14 Freeway in the Antelope Valley on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.
eightonesevenphotography.com, Courtesy of Time Out Chicago
A man drove through a gate and off of a cliff in San Pedro after trying to evade police Monday night, July 13, 2015.
Police investigate the end of a pursuit in Studio City on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 that ended when the driver of a white Infiniti with paper plates crashed into another motorist.
OnScene.TV
The 5 Freeway was closed in both directions overnight in Commerce after a fire broke out in a ravine on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.
AP
In this photo provided by Jay Rutherford, smoke rises from a burning truck packed with fireworks after it exploded on Interstate 15 near Ivanpah, Calif., close to the Nevada state line Thursday, July 2, 2015. The Chevrolet box van had ignited shortly before 1:30 p.m., burning to the ground and clogging the main artery between Los Angeles and Las Vegas for hours.
Courtesy: Caltrans
Traffic was snarled for hours on the eastbound 91 Freeway in Riverside near the 60 Freeway transition when a semi-truck hauling Bud Light cans overturned Monday, June 29, 2015.
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An overturned truck was blocking a freeway transition road for unknown duration in Los Angeles on Monday, May 18, 2015, CHP officials said.
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Traffic backed up during the morning commute Friday after a dump truck slammed through a freeway divider in the Mid-City area.
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Driver wait for crews to clear wreckage after a crash Monday May 4, 2015 on the northbound 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles.
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Black plumes of smoke could be seen for miles after a tanker truck went up in flames on the southbound 710 Freeway on Sunday, April 26, 2015.
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One bus apparently carrying inmates in Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department custody was involved in a crash on a freeway in North Hollywood on Monday, April 20, 2015.
Wuksachi Lodge
The California Incline connecting Pacific Coast Highway with Santa Monica is set to close Monday, April 20, 2015 for a yearlong rehab project.
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A bomb squad robot blast out a van window during an investigation that closed the 105 Freeway near LAX Wednesday April 15, 2015.
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A fatal crash investigation closed the 405 Freeway Friday April 10, 2015 in Long Beach.
Southern Counties News
A stretch of the southbound 605 Freeway and a northbound lane in the Lakewood area was shut down overnight Wednesday, Apr. 8, 2015 after a tanker truck overturned.
KNBC
Several people were hurt in a car crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. Eastbound lanes of the highway were shutdown, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies.
A man clinging to a fence on a freeway overpass near downtown Los Angeles on Monday, March 30, 2015, halted traffic on the Golden State (5) Freeway.
KNBC/OnScene TV
A tour bus crashed with a Saturn on the 134 Freeway in the Burbank area, leaving at least one person hospitalized on Saturday, March 28, 2015. At least one of the eastbound lanes was blocked, the California Highway Patrol said.
KNBC-NewsChopper4
Traffic was snarled on the 10 Freeway in Upland near the Ontario border after a multi-vehicle crash involving a jack-knifed big rig Wednesday, March 25, 2015.
Toni Guinyard
A truck flipped over the center divider in a multi-car crash that closed the 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights early Wednesday, March 25, 2015.
KNBC-TV
An unattended bag on a sidewalk in front of the Federal Building in West LA forced the closure of Wilshire Boulevard Thursday March 19, 2015.
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At least one FedEx truck was involved in a crash Friday March 4, 2015 on the 5 Freeway in Sun Valley.
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An LAFD fire truck collided with a pickup truck in Wilmington on Monday, March 9, 2015.
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A big rig crashed on the 60 Freeway in the city of Industry area on Saturday, March 7, 2015.
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Traffic back up on the eastbound 101 Freeway Friday Feb. 6, 2015 after a pursuit came to an end in Studio City.
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Traffic backed up early Friday Jan. 16, 2015 after a crash on the 60 Freeway.
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A big rig fire on the westbound 10 Freeway closed lanes Tuesday Jan. 13, 2015.
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A pursuit crash closed lanes on the 101 Freeway Thursday Jan. 8, 2015 near downtown Los Angeles.
KNBC-TV
California Highway Patrol reported a “flood of rocks and mud coming down” the hillsides that shut down the 91 Freeway around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014.
Swampdog
A bulldozer clears rocks from Pacific Coast Highway near Point Mugu after rains caused slides that stranded motorists on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014.
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Protesters blocked a portion of the 101 Freeway Wednesday Nov. 26, 2014 near Alvarado Street.
Loudlabs
A big rig crashed into a fire engine and two patrol cars that were responding to a three vehicle accident on the I-210 west in Rancho Cucamonga early Friday, Nov. 21, 2014
RMG
A tanker truck rolled on the 210 Freeway Tuesday Oct. 28, 2014 after striking an overhead sign.
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Workers clear debris after a crash damaged a 101 Freeway divider early Friday Oct. 24, 2014 in Encino.
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An Allied moving truck jack-knifed at mid-day Thursday Sept. 4, 2014 on the 10 Freeway in El Monte.
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A bouncing tire slammed into a car Wednesday Sept. 3, 2014 on the 110 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles.
First In
A woman was killed and several others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the 5 Freeway in Castaic on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2014. Lanes on the northbound side of the freeway were closed for several hours following the crash.
A wandering pup slowed the 710 Freeway near Atlantic Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 21 as motorists slowed down to try to corral it. The pooch was eventually scooped up by a passerby.
Three people were seriously hurt in a crash that sent a big rig careening into the center divider of the 210 Freeway in Pasadena Aug. 11 2014, forcing the closure of two westbound lanes for hours, officials said.
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Traffic was delayed for nearly an hour on the northbound 101 Freeway in Thousand Oaks on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, as crews cleared the scene of a crash involving an overturned van. Sixteen people were taken to the hospital with no major injuries.
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A big rig fire closed the 5 Freeway in Norwalk Friday Aug. 1, 2014 at the start of the morning drive.
Drivers could be seen getting out of their cars and walking on the roadway as a man standing on the railing of a freeway overpass forced the hours-long closure of both directions of the Golden State (5) Freeway in East LA during rush hour Friday, July 25, 2014.
Rescue crews and California Highway Patrol officers took a man into custody Friday evening after he forced an hours-long shutdown of both directions of the Golden State (5) Freeway in East LA during rush hour as he stood on the railing of a freeway overpass.
Tony Shin
A big rig rollover crash damaged a bridge on July 15, 2014, that is part of a construction project near the 215 Freeway and State Route 74 in Riverside County.
Los Angeles Metro
In the tradition of "Jamzilla" and "Carmageddon," the "Century Crunch" will force a closure at the intersection of Century Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard from 9 p.m. on July 25 to 6 a.m. on July 28.
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A crash involving five vehicles left nails scattered on the 210 Freeway Tuesday July 15, 2014 in La Canada Flintridge.
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A fatal crash early Tuesday July 8, 2014 closed lanes on the 101 Freeway in Hollywood near Highland Avenue.
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All lanes of the northbound 710 Freeway were closed on Thursday, July 3, 2014, after a recycling truck carrying recycled glass overturned in the Lynwood area.
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A Los Angeles Sheriff's Department prisoner transport bus broke down on Monday, June 30, 2014 on the 110 Freeway near Slauson Ave. leading to backups as prisoners had to be transferred onto a new bus.
A rollover crash on the northbound 405 Freeway near Torrance on Friday, June 27, 2014 led to an hours-long backup that exended for miles during the moring drive.
A sweeper works to clear the way for commuters after a rock spill on the 210 Freeway through Arcadia on Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
LLN
A fallen beam closed the 405 Freeway Wednesday June 18, 2014 in the Long Beach area.
A big rig carrying sand crashed Monday June 2, 2014 on the 405 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley.
A cement mixer truck overturned in Glendale on the southbound 5 Freeway Monday, May 5, 2014.
NBC Bay Area
Construction on the 215 Freeway, which prompted a series of overnight closures, finished ahead of schedule on April 27, 2014.
Lanes on the San Diego (405) Freeway near Los Angeles International Airport were closed after a fire erupted on the side of the freeway, April 24, 2014.
All lanes on the westbound 10 Freeway at Towne Avenue were closed after a double trailer carrying rocks overturned on Wednesday, April 23, 2014.
Whitney Irick
An $8 million construction project on the Pacific Coast Highway beginning in April 2014 will take one year to complete and will disrupt traffic.
A water main in Murrieta burst early Wednesday, April, 9, 2014, sending thousands of gallons of water into the street, cutting off water supply to residents. The break will keep one street closed for up to a week.
A series of overnight closures on the 215 Freeway impacted drivers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties starting Friday, April 4, 2014.
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At least three vehicles were involved in a crash on the 605 Freeway in Industry that caused an ambulance to burn, Thursday, April 3, 2014.
Multiple big rigs and a car were involved in an early morning crash on the eastbound Foothill (210) Freeway in Pasadena Wednesday, April 2, 2014.
A big rig jackknifed, causing lanes on the eastbound 134 Freeway connector road to the westbound 210 Freeway to be closed for four hours Tuesday, April 1, 2014.
A dump truck flipped in the middle of Sunset Boulevard, closing part of the busy street Wednesday March 26, 2014.
During a rainy morning drive, a big rig jackknifed on the 210 Freeway in Pasadena blocking a transition road for hours Wednesday, March 26, 2014.
Tens of thousands of pound of honey spilled on the 605 Freeway east of downtown Los Angeles Monday March 24, 2014.
An overturned big rig blocks lanes on the westbound 210 Freeway in Irwindale Friday March 21, 2014.
Carrots blocked a stretch of 170th Street in Lake Los Angeles after a big rig crash on Monday, March, 17, 2014.
A crash involving a bicyclist and an SUV that struck a power pole and sheared a water hydrant created a mess in Buena Park March 14, 2014.
A big rig closed four lanes on the eastbound Gardena (91) Freeway on Tuesday, March 11, 2014.
Los Angeles Fire Department officials said five people were hurt, one critically, in a crash involving a Metro bus and an SUV in Winnetka on Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
A pursuit driver backs up traffic for miles, taunting other motorists and swerving across lanes before being arrested Feb. 24, 2014.
A big rig jackknifed on the transition road tunnel of the eastbound Foothill (210) Freeway in Pasadena Feb. 27, 2014.
Firefighters respond to a fatal two-car collision in downtown Los Angeles, Feb. 15, 2014.
Part of the San Diego (405) Freeway is closed for an 80-hour stretch over Presidents Day Weekend, in a closure referred to as "Jamzilla."
A big rig collided with another big rig on the eastbound 10 Freeway in La Verne Jan. 28, 2014, blocking lanes for more than two hours
Gadi Schwartz /NBCLA.com
A tour bus crashed and landed on its side on the 15 Freeway at Magnolia Avenue in Corona, Dec. 19, 2013.
Up to 40 people were injured Thursday when a tour bus rolled over on the Foothill (210) Freeway near the San Gabriel (605) Freeway, the CHP said.
A stretch of the San Diego (405) Freeway in Orange County was closed on Aug. 16, 2013 as crews worked to reconstruct a broken bridge.
Traffic backs up early on July 15, 2013 at the 5 and 2 freeway interchange, two days after a tanker exploded at the location.
Officials are advising drivers to find alternate routes around the Sunset Boulevard ramp for an expansion project on the San Diego (405) Freeway on the Westside of LA from Aug. 2, 2013 to Dec. 1, 2013.
A big rig hit the Perris Boulevard overpass, which was under construction on the 215 Freeway. All southbound lanes were closed July 9, 2013, for at least 24 hours.
AFP/Getty Images
Police prepare to confront demonstrators angry at the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin, on the 10 Freeway, in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013.
A big rig carrying a load of pickles caught fire after its fuel container was ripped off during a collision with two carrier trucks early Wednesday, July 10, 2013. The wreck shut down the 60 Freeway for five hours so crews could clean up 80,000 gallons of spilled fuel.s
Mike Sincere/YouTube
A still from a YouTube video showing a marriage proposal on the 10 Freeway, which was blocked by 300 to 400 motorcyclists for the special -- but illegal -- occasion.
Traffic on the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles Friday May 24, 2013 back up after a tanker crash near Montana Avenue. The crash occurred just 15 minutes after road crews opened a northbound lane as part of the freeway project.
Jeff Scharping
A big rig crash on the 210 Freeway blocked lanes Monday May 20, 2013.
LA's title as the nation's most congested city is reinforced annually when it retains its number-one ranking by traffic information provider INRIX. Northbound 101 at Alameda Street, southbound 101 at Melrose Avenue, and northbound 110 at the 10 Freeway interchange are among the nation's top 25 worst bottlenecks.
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Despite all the complaining about traffic by LA commuters, a Census report released in September 2011 showed LA area drivers spend an average of "just" 28.1 minutes getting to work, which was the 17th-worst commute in the country, according to the report.
Morning rush hour traffic crawls along Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, where work began in January 2010 on a $7 million facelift after more than 75 years of use.
The closure of Interstate 15 due to a forest fire Sept. 2, 2011 put a crimp in the travel plans of many who were heading to Las Vegas to enjoy the Labor Day Weekend.
The 405, one of the busiest freeways in California, stood vacant July 16, 2011 as workers demolished the south side of the Mulholland Drive overpass during the 53-hour total freeway closure known as "Carmaggedon."
Workers demolished the south side of the Mulholland Drive overpass on the 405 Freeway during the 53-hour total freeway closure dubbed "Carmageddon." Drivers began calling the closure "Carmaheaven" when traffic over the weekend was much lighter than expected.
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A television reporter stood in the lanes of one of the busiest freeways in California, the 405, which stood vacant on July 16, 2011 while workers demolished the south side of the Mulholland Drive overpass on the freeway during "Carmageddon."
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Team leader Cpt. Martin Enriquez prepares for "Carmageddon II" in front of screens showing live traffic on Interstate 405 at the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Center. On Sept. 28, 2012, Los Angeles braced itself once more for another closing of the 405 Freeway, due to the second part of the Mulholland Bridge Demolition, also known as ''Carmageddon II.''
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''Carmageddon II'' shuts down this 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway between the 10 and 101 Freeways for 53 hours. This second iteration of Carmageddon went as smoothly as the first, and the heavy Los Angeles traffic to which residents had become accustomed returned swiftly upon the freeway's reopening.
After a big-rig slammed through the 101 Freeway's center divider on Aug. 11, 2012, Angelenos experienced miles-long back-ups for several hours on a scorching day in the San Fernando Valley.
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Pedestrians strolled on a bridge as traffic backed up after a massive blackout hit Southern California September 8, 2011 in in San Diego. Approximately 1.5 million residents from southern Orange County to northern Baja were without power.
Sept. 10, 2012: Traffic on the 90 Freeway was snarled after cable lines fell onto the roadway.
Traffic after an early morning crash near the 134-101 interchange.
A truck overturned and spilled fuel onto the northbound lanes of the Golden State Freeway, jamming traffic on the morning commute on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
Viewer Image: Traffic Aug. 10, 2012 on the 5 Freeway near the 118 Freeway.
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A truck transporting avocados spilled its cargo on Aug. 6, 2013, closing down lanes of the 5 Freeway in Pacoima.
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A big-rig caught on fire on the 210 Freeway in Sunland-Tujunga blocking lanes on the morning of Wednesday, July 23, 2014.
Some 75 firefighters from the LAFD and other nearby agencies responded to the crash.
NBC4's Rosa Ordaz and Patrick Healy contributed to this report.
