Home   >   News   >   Tanker truck spills 5,000 gallons of fuel and catches fire near downtown LA

Tanker truck spills 5,000 gallons of fuel and catches fire near downtown LA

October 31, 2014

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – One of two fuel tanks being hauled by a truck overturned and caught fire near a Golden State (5) Freeway on-ramp in Boyle Heights today, damaging one nearby home and a vehicle but no injuries, authorities said.

The crash and fire were reported at 3:30 p.m. at the southbound freeway on-ramp in the 2600 block of East Eighth Street, Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

One home sustained minor fire damage, at least two others were threatened by flames and one vehicle was damaged, Humphrey said.

The fire was controlled in about 20 minutes, according to Humphrey, who said about 125 firefighters were dispatched to the scene.

Firefighters sprayed foam on the farthest back of two tanker trailers that were being hauled by a big rig, according to a report from the scene.

The tank contained as many as 4,500 gallons of fuel, a sizable portion of which spilled and was contained, LAFD Deputy Chief Joe Castro told reporters at the scene.

The cleanup would take two to four hours, he said.

The intersection of Soto and Eighth streets and the freeway on-ramp were closed.