LOS ANGELES, CA – A crash involving two big rigs and another vehicle sent a large amount of cargo spilling across the westbound 210 Freeway in La Crescenta on Wednesday, injuring at least three people and forcing the closure of most lanes for hours.
The collision occurred near Pennsylvania Avenue shortly before noon on Aug. 19.
One of the tractor-trailers overturned during the crash, leaving boxes and other cargo scattered across several lanes of the freeway.
Another vehicle was left pinned beneath the overturned truck.
At least three people were transported to a hospital following the collision. Their conditions were not immediately available.
The California Highway Patrol handles collision investigations and traffic enforcement on California freeways, including Interstate 210.
Authorities have not yet released a detailed account of how the vehicles collided or identified the drivers and occupants involved.
Images from the scene showed the overturned truck lying across the freeway with its cargo spread over the roadway, creating a major cleanup operation.
The second big rig remained at the scene along with the other damaged vehicle.
Crews worked through the afternoon to remove debris, recover the overturned truck and clear the freeway.
Most westbound lanes remained closed as of approximately 3 p.m., significantly slowing traffic through La Crescenta and neighboring communities.
CHP provides real-time collision and road-condition information through its traffic incident system, which is used to track crashes, lane closures and other hazards affecting state highways.
Motorists can also check current highway conditions through Caltrans QuickMap, which provides information on lane closures, traffic speeds, incidents and other roadway conditions across California.
Authorities have not released an estimate of how much cargo spilled from the overturned truck or identified what the boxes contained.
There was also no immediate indication that the cargo itself presented a hazardous-material threat.
The presence of a vehicle trapped beneath the tractor-trailer complicated the response, but officials have not said whether firefighters were required to perform a technical extrication.
No fatalities were reported in the initial information released about the crash.
The cause remains under investigation.
Authorities have not said whether speed, mechanical failure, an unsafe lane movement or another factor contributed to the collision.
Investigators also have not disclosed whether any citations or arrests are expected.
The crash created the second major disruption on the westbound 210 Freeway Wednesday.
Earlier that morning, a separate big rig caught fire in the Sunland area just east of Sunland Boulevard.
According to information attributed to the California Highway Patrol, that truck fire was reported shortly after 9 a.m. and was not believed to have resulted from a collision.
The flames spread from the truck to nearby vegetation, prompting a response from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
All westbound lanes were initially closed during that earlier incident, and a SigAlert was issued while firefighters and highway crews worked at the scene.
Some lanes later reopened, but traffic remained heavily affected when the separate La Crescenta crash occurred farther east.
The two incidents caused significant delays along the westbound 210 corridor for much of Wednesday.
The 210, also known as the Foothill Freeway through much of Los Angeles County, serves as a major east-west route connecting communities along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Large commercial-truck crashes can require extended closures because crews may need to remove damaged vehicles, spilled cargo and fluids before lanes can safely reopen.
In the La Crescenta crash, the amount of debris spread across the freeway contributed to the lengthy cleanup.
Authorities have not said how long the entire freeway was expected to remain affected.
Drivers traveling through the area were advised to monitor Caltrans road conditions and CHP traffic information before using the westbound 210.
The identities of the three people transported to hospitals have not been released.
It also remains unclear whether any additional occupants were evaluated at the scene but declined transportation.
Investigators are expected to examine the vehicles, roadway evidence and statements from those involved as they work to determine the sequence of events.
No additional information about the crash was immediately available.
The investigation remains ongoing.
