CA: I-5 collapses Newhall Pass

Scanner | 10/12/07 | me

[BurbankKarl]

Per LA County Fire....Northbound I-5 is collapsing at the scene of a major accident in the truck tunnel.

Incident: 3700 Type: Location: info as of: 10/12/2007 11:17:15 PM ADDITIONAL DETAILS 11:16PM 1039 MEDIA 11:14PM PER LACO FD ** PLS HAVE UNITS CLOSE DOWN ALL LNS - NB 5 AT BALBOA - THE BRIDGE IS STARTING TO COLAPSE 11:13PM 1039 56-S9 ADVISED ROLL 406 OR OTHER AVAILABLE UNIT TO ASSIST - 56-108 ENRT 11:13PM PLS ISSUE SIGALERT FOR THE NB 5 TK LNS TO 14 AND THE SB 5 TK LNS TO 14 - UNK DURATION AT THIS TIME - THANKS 11:08PM 146 ADV 1 PTY JUST CAME OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND HAS A BROKEN LEG AND NEEDS OXYGEN //1039 LACOFD W/INFO 11:07PM 1039 TO 98-S7 WILL HAVE 98-51 ROLL FOR THIS FROM THE OFFICE 11:03PM CT-PLS START FOR A HARD CLOSURE TO SHUT DOWN BOTH THE NB AND SB TK LNS 11:01PM DIVERT TRFC FM NB AND SB TK RT - 511 WILL SHUT DOWN NB TK LNS 11:01PM SEMI ON SB SIDE IS NOW ALSO ON FIRE - PLS ADV LACOFD 11:01PM PLS ADV LACOFD THERE ARE 2 ADDITIONAL O/TURNED VEHS // NB AND SB IM THE TK RT 10:59PM 3-5 SEMI FULLY INVLD - @ THE TUNNELS OF THE TRUCK ROUTE W/ACCESS ISSUES - PER LACOFD 10:59PM ANOTHER O/TURNED JSO 1020 BLOCKING ALL LANES AT TRUCK ROUT ALSO SIERRA HIGWAY 10:58PM 146 POSS PEOPLE STILL TRAPPED 10:57PM PLS GET UPDATED ETA FROM FD 10:57PM 146 PTY TRAPPED INSIDE 10:55PM THIS WILL BE SB TRUCK RD 10:55PM LACOFD 3-5 BIG RIGS FULLY INVOLVED 10:45PM PER RP SEMI TRK EXPLODED & OTHER VEH TC D W/TRK / PCS OF ENGINE ARE ON FIRE IN RDWY 10:44PM 1039 LACO FD 10:44PM RP ADVSED HE AND HIS GRANDMOTHER WERE DRIVING ON NB SIDE AND SAW A YEL BIG RIG EXPLODE, THE WHOLE SKY LIT UP 10:42PM YELLOW SEMI TRUCK ON FIRE, BLOCKING UNK LN RESPONDING OFFICERS STATUS 11:06PM CHP Unit On Scene 11:06PM CHP Unit On Scene 11:09PM CHP Unit Enroute 11:12PM CHP Unit On Scene 11:12PM CHP Unit Enroute 11:12PM CHP Unit Enroute 11:12PM CHP Unit Assigned 11:14PM CHP Unit Enroute

[La Enchiladita]

Global2010, don’t know how long ago you moved out.. traffic is pretty much 24/7 in SoCal. It might slack on surface streets during the wee hours but not much on freeways.

The PGR are the Patriot Guard Riders who escort the funeral processions of our fallen heroes. They’re military veterans themselves, usually Vietnam.

Thank you for kind thoughts re my kitty... 16 wonderful years!

[La Enchiladita]

I never saw that before! It’s got me all choked up, how SWEET is that?!

Thank you, thank you SO MUCH...:)

[BurbankKarl]

[La Enchiladita]

Horrifying, Karl... I watched a video clip interviewing a truck driver who witnessed. It all happened very fast.

[BurbankKarl]

[lainie]

KNX 1070 AM is pretty much wall-to-wall with this incident. The Melinda Lee food show is pre-empted.

just heard: foam still being applied is not putting out the fire inside the tunnel.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

I checked CNN numerous times last night. It took Fox and ABC about 2 hours after the accident to post a short story on their websites. Nothing about it on CNN.com last night.

[A CA Guy]

Hi, in brief, did a section of freeway collapse?
If so, did some piece above land below or what?

I was not near a radio or TV and wondered without reading 400 comments what happened lainie?

[BurbankKarl]

Man...I just woke up! I was just about to go to bed when this all went down...didnt finally hit the sack til 3am.

[BurbankKarl]

Pieces of concrete (I-5) were falling into the tunnel last night during the initial fire...then there were hours of explosions etc....they fear the steel has melted and that I-5 is no longer usable.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Ain’t gunna be open by Monday...

[A CA Guy]

Dear God, this is horrible in so many ways.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Good morning, Karl...

[lainie]

Good morning. The deal is, the intense fire is so hot (and has been burning for so long), they're concerned that the freeway above might no longer be structurally sound. Part of the structural issue is that ribar began to warp in the intense heat, creating an "explosion" of concrete in some areas. The accident is inside a tunnel area which runs underneath the freeway passing overhead. That's why the auto section of the 5 is closed, even though the accident occurred in the truck lanes.

As for the accident itself, rain-slicked freeway, five big rigs, pileup of 15 vehicles or so. No major injuries among those removed from the scene, but one person has yet to be accounted for. Traffic is, of course, a total nightmare.

[Global2010]

I don’t get streaming video so I rely on the tv set.

Went to bed around 3am and got up at 8am pst so CNN TV had it on.

[Churchillspirit]

Unfortunately it is true. Been on the local news all morning.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

I don’t get streaming video so I rely on the tv set.

I get the streaming video and forego the cable.

[A CA Guy]

And may remain a total nightmare for months at least.

We are luck so few got hurt, but they will have to demolish the questionable structures and reset the areas as needed.
Months at least.

ANYONE know what that does to traffic those months?
Will the surrounding roads in any way support getting around the damaged areas?

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://news.google.com/nwshp?tab=wn&ned=us&ncl=1122085705&hl=en&topic=n

Lots of articles here. Finally.

[lainie]

Hey, BG. How ya been?