Morning Mayhem: Fiery Van Engulfs Paramount Freeway
A Harrowing Scene on the 105 Freeway
As dawn broke over the City of Paramount, a harrowing sight met the eyes of morning commuters on the 105 Freeway: a burning van belching flames, sending a thick plume of smoke into the air. The inferno raged in the far-right lane of the eastern span, near Paramount Boulevard, just after 6:20 a.m. LA News Center’s Sky5 helicopter captured the dramatic footage, as the flames relentlessly consumed the vehicle.
Firefighters Hampered by Tricky Access
Fire crews, eager to extinguish the blaze, faced a roadblock: difficult access to the section of the roadway. According to LA News Center’s Rich Prickett, the authorities’ access point was “a little tricky,” delaying their arrival. As the fire continued to burn fiercely, Prickett reported at 6:30 a.m., “It took some time for the fire department to arrive here, and [the fire] is still stubborn.”
Heavy Traffic and Plume of Smoke
- The inferno brought traffic to a standstill, with congestion extending back to the interchange with the 710 Freeway.
- The California Highway Patrol (CHP) swiftly shut down all lanes of the freeway to allow firefighters to battle the blaze.
- A massive plume of smoke hung heavy over the traffic jam, billowing over the freeway’s lanes and nearby residences.
All Occupants Escaped Safely
Amidst the chaos, there was a glimmer of hope: preliminary reports indicated that all occupants of the burning van escaped unscathed.
Cause of Fire Remains a Mystery
The investigation into the cause of the fire was still underway as of 6:35 a.m. Firefighters had nearly extinguished the flames, but the origin of the inferno remained a puzzle.
Data sourced from: ktla.com
