Semi-Truck Fire Backs Up Traffic On I-5 In North County

OCEANSIDE, CA – A semi-truck hauling a trailer full of frozen mangos caught fire Tuesday, prompting Interstate 5 lanes to be closed and and traffic to be backed up in San Diego's North County.

Dispatchers received reports of a vehicle on fire shortly before 4:30 a.m. on northbound I-5 near Las Pulgas Road located north of Oceanside, CHP Officer Mark Latulippe said.

The driver of the semi-truck reportedly felt his truck leaning in an odd way and found his trailer was on fire after he pulled over, Latulippe said.

Camp Pendleton Fire Department crews responded to the scene and extinguished the fire in about 45 minutes, Latulippe said.

No injuries were reported.

CHP officers closed the two right lanes of northbound I-5 around 4:40 a.m. and reopened them around 8 a.m. to help ease traffic, Latulippe said. The CHP issued a Sig-alert around 5:15 a.m.

As of 8:35 a.m., traffic on northbound I-5 was backed up to state Route 78, according to CHP dispatch logs.

The lanes will need to be closed again for cleanup, according to the CHP. The trailer still needs to be removed from the scene.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Image via Patch