OCEANSIDE — A car-carrying semi-truck caught fire Thursday on southbound Interstate 5, destroying six vehicles it was hauling and backing up traffic into Orange County for roughly 12 hours.
California Highway Patrol officers responded to the fire shortly before 5 a.m. The driver pulled onto the shoulder and escaped without injury.
Caltrans closed several freeway lanes near the Aliso Creek Rest Area as first responders, including the Camp Pendleton Fire Department, battled the blaze.
All six vehicles “went up in flames,” CHP Officer Hunter Gerber said. No injuries or damage to other structures were reported.
Caltrans reopened the No. 2 and No. 3 lanes shortly after 3:30 p.m. The No. 4 lane reopened at 4:20 p.m., Gerber said.
The cleanup took nearly 12 hours because crews had to remove the damaged vehicles from the trailer and clear debris from the freeway.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
