A fire that destroyed part of a tanker truck carrying phosphoric acid forced the closure of Interstate 10, east of Cook Street this morning.
The incident started at 6:25 a.m. The rig had been forced to stop on the shoulder of the eastbound I-10 when a fire broke out in the front part of the truck, according to California Highway Patrol officer Joe Zagorski.
Fire crews found the cab fully engulfed in flames. Moments after arriving, CHP officials said responders learned the truck was carrying 5,000 gallons of boric acid.
The CHP closed the I-10 eastbound lanes for about 20 minutes while fire department personnel extinguished the burning truck tractor. Emergency personnel determined the boric acid had not leaked and the trailer was intact allowing CHP officers to open the fast lanes, Zagorski said.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation, CHP officials said.
All lanes were open at 8:16 a.m., according to officials. The westbound lanes were not affected.
The owners of the big rig dispatched a tow truck from their Industry office to remove the truck from the freeway, according to online CHP reports.
