I-15 Closes For Helicopter Landing Near Murrieta-Temecula Border

MURRIETA, CA — A car fire Monday afternoon on southbound Interstate 15 near the Murrieta/Temecula border resulted in a serious injury that required a burn victim to be airlifted to an area hospital and forced a temporary freeway shutdown.

The fire was reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. just north of Winchester Road, according to a preliminary California Highway Patrol report.

A 32-year-old La Puente man driving a 2007 Toyota Camry was in the freeway's slow lane, heading south, when smoke began seeping into his car. He was traveling at about 60 mph but began slowing down and moving onto the right shoulder, according to the CHP.

While still attempting to stop, flames burst into his vehicle. The man opened his driver's side door while the car was moving and he rolled onto the shoulder. The fiery Toyota continued rolling southwest into an open field where it became fully engulfed in flames.

The man suffered burns to his hands, arms and other parts of the upper body, according to reports from the scene. An off-duty paramedic stopped on the freeway and ran to the man's aid, determining that he had burns to nearly 40 percent of his body, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

According to the CHP, the injuries were possibly third-degree burns.

The Mercy Air crew onboarded the man and flew him to the burn center at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in San Bernardino County, according to the CHP.

Southbound I-15 was shut down for approximately 14 minutes for the helicopter rescue. All lanes were reopened at approximately 3:19 p.m., the CHP reported.

County and Murrieta city firefighters got the blaze under control by 3 p.m.

No one else was injured in the fire, and no other vehicles were involved. The man was the Toyota's only occupant.

Freeway traffic was jammed in both directions.

The CHP is investigating the incident.