Two Lanes Reopened After Tanker Fire

This story was written by City News Service

Two lanes of the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway near Dodger Stadium were reopened this afternoon, more than two days after a fire sparked by the crash of a tanker closed down most of the freeway.

The number 3 and 4 lanes on the northbound side reopened shortly before 5 p.m., according to Caltrans. Two northbound and two southbound lanes remain closed.

The fire broke out late Saturday morning when a tanker truck overturned in a small tunnel connecting the northbound Glendale (2) Freeway to the northbound 5, spilling 8,500 gallons of gasoline, damaging the roadway and sending up columns of black smoke visible for miles.

Over the weekend, crews cleared debris from the tunnel, shored up compromised stretches of roadbed and began work removing the gasoline that flowed into storm drains and the Los Angeles River.

Contractors were called in to install emergency shoring in two tunnels under the freeway. Those braces will block two transition ramps from the 2 to the 5 "for some weeks to come,'' said Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler.

"Caltrans structural, design, maintenance and construction engineers have instructed the contractor to construct a temporary system to support the structures which hold the lanes of northbound and southbound 5,'' Chandler said.
 
The heat from Saturday's tanker fire caused "extensive damage to the pavement, walls, support columns, drainage, and lighting within the tunnel,'' Chandler said. "We are urging people to take public transportation Monday, and consider taking the Metrolink trains ... It's not going to be an easy day.''