A severe crash on the 110 Freeway in South Los Angeles, involving a fuel tanker, resulted in one fatality and two injuries on Saturday night. The tragic incident, which required the closure of all lanes on the freeway, occurred on the northbound side of the 110, between Manchester Avenue and Century Boulevard just prior to 10 p.m.
The collision involved three vehicles, including the fuel tanker, which tipped over and came to rest atop a black sedan. A consequent spill from the tanker resulted in an estimated 100 gallons of jet fuel dispersing onto the roadway. Video evidence obtained from KTLA provided a visual of the fuel spilling from the overturned truck.
Speculations around the cause of the crash remain, with one unnamed witness recalling a sudden left swerve from the tanker. As the investigations continue, the tankers drivers condition remains unknown although it is reported that he survived the incident and was autonomously transported to a nearby hospital. The affected individuals, other than the unidentified fatality, were listed as a 30-year-old woman and a 45-year-old man, both with non-critical injuries.
The resultant fuel leak situation was labeled as static by LAFD Capt. Cody Weireter hours after the incident as while the main leak was mainly contained, smaller leaks continuously posed challenges due to the fuels potential for flammability forcing firefighters to take utmost precautions.
In terms of traffic disruption, both sides of the 110 Freeway between Manchester Avenue and Century Boulevard were also closed temporarily, along with connector ramps to the 105 Freeway to facilitate the cleanup process. The southbound lanes were reopened as of 7 a.m. Sunday, and a private company was said to be engaged to recover the truck and prepare it for removal, as reported by LAFD. The official cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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