California transportation officials have shut down all lanes of the 105 Freeway in Hawthorne after a deadly crash involving a tanker truck.
The crash occurred around 5:15 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the 105 Freeway when a tanker truck and an SUV collided near Prairie Avenue. After the crash, the tanker truck caught fire and exploded, sending a fireball into the air.
The massive fire burned for more than an hour.
@ABC7 accident on 105 freeway and Crenshaw. #abc7eyewitness pic.twitter.com/Hsx6onwDOx
— Jordie Reyes🇧🇿 (@haro247) August 24, 2018
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a witness told ABC7 that a Range Rover was weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed before crashing into a concrete barrier moments before the crash.
The California Highway Patrol has confirmed that one person from the tanker truck and one person from the SUV have died as a result of the crash. It isn’t clear if there are any injuries to other people.
2 dead in fiery tanker truck crash that shuts down 105 Freeway in both directions in Hawthorne https://t.co/kGhxH3bL58 pic.twitter.com/pcL7CtRpF5
— Mary Rack (@ohiomary) August 24, 2018
Authorities have shut down all lanes of the 105 Freeway in both directions, causing miles-long traffic backups. It isn’t clear when the freeway will reopen as firefighters have elected to allow the fire to burn itself out. Caltrans says that they will need to inspect the roadway for structural damage before the freeway can reopen.
A tanker truck fire closed down the 105 freeway in Los Angeles. A food truck is making the best of the situation. pic.twitter.com/ACDg1GJkgz
— ericjboyd (@ericjboyd) August 24, 2018