Saturday, January 17, 2015

18-Wheeler Truck Starts Leaking Gas After Colliding With SUV and then with Power Pole in Van Nuys, California, Creating Safety Issue



BIG RIG STARTS LEAKING GAS AFTER COLLIDING WITH POWER POLE IN VAN NUYS, CREATING ‘SAFETY ISSUE’




Posted 8:16 AM, January 15, 2015

A stretch of Van Nuys Boulevard was shut down in both directions in the San Fernando Valley Thursday morning after a big rig crashed into a power pole near a building, creating a “safety issue,” authorities said.

The collision occurred just before 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Hamlin Street in Van Nuys when the semi-truck hit an SUV after it turned in front of the big rig, according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division.

The impact caused the truck to lose control and plow into a power pole before it came to a rest near a large commercial structure. The SUV was stopped in the middle of the closed roadway, aerial video over the scene showed.

The downed power pole had exposed wires, and the semi-truck was leaking gas, according to police.

It was not immediately clear what the big rig was carrying.

Minor injuries were reported, but it was unknown how many were hurt and whether anyone was taken to a hospital. Paramedics were at the scene, but a stretcher next to the building was empty, video showed.

Police did not give an estimate as to how long the closure would last, but said the intersection would remain closed until the scene was cleaned up.