Truck afire after freeway collision

A big rig crashed into the center divider on the San Diego Freeway

Thursday after colliding with another car, snarling traffic for

hours, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The accident happened at about 5:10 p.m. in the southbound lanes

south of Harbor Boulevard, CHP Officer Katrina Lundgren said.

The truck was engulfed in flames, Lundgren said.

“Another car was pinned between the big rig and the center

divider,” she said. Both drivers escaped without any major injuries,

Lundgren said.

Costa Mesa Fire Department responded to the call. There were no

hazardous materials spilled on the freeway as a result of the

collision, Lundgren said.

A SigAlert, which was issued at 5:30 p.m., was still in effect

three hours after the accident. Traffic on southbound lanes stopped

at Harbor Boulevard, and crews cleaned up the foam used to put out

the fire. Traffic was being diverted from the northbound lanes of the

Corona del Mar Freeway at Fairview Road, Lundgren said.

-- Deepa Bharath