Vehicle fire sparks blaze along Highway 118 in Simi Valley; freeway lanes closed
A truck that went over an embankment on Highway 118 sparked a brush fire Friday morning, quickly sending flames shooting into a Simi Valley hillside.
Two westbound lanes of the freeway from Rocky Peak Road to Kuehner Drive were closed as firefighters battled the fire, according to the California Highway Patrol. A SigAlert has been issued.
Heavy smoke blanketed the area as firefighters worked to control the fast-moving blaze. At least three helicopters dropped water onto the flames.
The fire started about 5:47 a.m. after a truck crashed through guardrail along the freeway and fell 200 feet down the embankment, according to the CHP.
TV footage showed a helicopter hoisting a firefighter near the crash to check on the driver’s condition.
By 7:30 a.m., the driver was pulled from the wreckage of the crash and hoisted by a helicopter to safety. It is unknown if the driver was injured.
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