Five hundred evacuated in L.A. when semi truck hauling hydrogen reportedly explodes

California authorities have evacuated approximately 500 people from the city of Diamond Bar in Los Angeles County after a truck hauling hydrogen tanks “possibly exploded” this afternoon.

Sunday afternoon a semi truck hauling canisters of Hydrogen Gas caught fire in Diamond Bar. Several businesses in the immediate area have been evacuated and streets have been closed. The fire was quickly extinguished however, the canisters are venting Hydrogen Gas into the air. pic.twitter.com/tDgQoUj2AA

— LOUDLABS NEWS (@loudlabsnews) February 11, 2018

Around 2:30 p.m., a truck fire was reported at the intersection of Golden Springs Drive and Brea Canyon Road, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The truck was hauling 20 tanks of compressed hydrogen. Several witnesses told authorities that they had heard or seen explosions.

Fire fighters and hazmat teams responded to the scene and doused the truck with water.

Authorities evacuated about 500 people from a half mile radius of the truck. Authorities are warning drivers to keep away from the area.

No injuries have been reported.

The latest report from the L.A. County Fire Department is that the “Incident is stabilized with a limited threat to life. Incident location encompasses an immediate area of mostly commercial buildings. Evaluating if there will be any impact to the 60 Freeway.”

The incident remains under investigation.