1 dead and at least 9 injured in multivehicle crash on 5 Freeway near Glendale
A fatal collision involving multiple vehicles closed down the Golden State (5) Freeway in both directions Tuesday morning near Glendale, bringing traffic to a complete standstill, authorities said.
One person died as a result of the collision and at least nine others suffered minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. A 27-year-old woman was critically injured in the incident.
A dog also died as a result of the collision, according to L.A. Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott.
The crash was reported shortly before 11 a.m. on the southbound 5 Freeway north of Colorado Street near Atwater Village, fire officials said.
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During an afternoon press conference, California Highway Patrol officer Jose Nunez said eight vehicles were involved in the incident — three passenger vehicles, three big rigs, a van and a pickup truck towing a trailer.
“There are a lot of details to sort through and a lot of evidence,” he said.
Although the exact sequence of events is still unknown, Nunez said one of the big rigs was traveling northbound on the freeway when it was struck by a vehicle. The big rig then jumped over the center divider into the southbound lane and struck another big rig.
That, in turn, led to one of the big rigs catching fire. The flames then spread to the other big rig and caused “significant fire damage,” according to Nunez.
Nunez said it’s not known which car the deceased person was in at the time of the incident.
Crews from the Glendale and Burbank fire departments assisted with removing hazardous materials at the scene while the L.A. Fire Department knocked down the flames, according to Scott.
“[Glendale and Burbank first responders] were able to handle hazardous materials such as fuel and oil that was leaking,” he said.
Images shared on television and social media showed a small vehicle pinned underneath the charred big rig. A pickup truck could also be seen straddling the center divider of the freeway with a vehicle pinned beneath it.
Through Tuesday afternoon, the southbound 5 Freeway just before the Ventura (134) Freeway remained closed to traffic as the California Highway Patrol continued to investigate the scene. Nunez said repairs would need be made on the center divider before Caltrans could deem the freeway safe to reopen.
Meanwhile, several lanes on the northbound side of the freeway have reopened.
“As of now, we’re just standing by … closing all lanes because it does require investigation and cleanup,” Nunez said.
The collision has had a heavy impact on area surface streets as drivers search for alternate routes while the closures remain in effect.
Tahnee Lightfoot, a spokeswoman with the Glendale Police Department, said San Fernando Road has been especially impacted.
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UPDATES:
2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information from a press conference held by California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Fire Department.
This article was originally published at 12:50 p.m.
