A big rig that overturned alongside Interstate 10 east of Mecca Tuesday erupted in flames, leading to a brush fire that prompted a partial closure of the freeway.
The semi crash was reported at 12:25 p.m. on eastbound I-10 near the Cactus City rest stop, according to the California Highway Patrol.
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The agency said that the tractor trailer went out of control and off the side of the freeway, rolling over next to an underpass and frontage road. No other vehicles were involved.
The trucker was reportedly able to self-extricate from the wreckage before flames spread from the engine compartment to the rest of the big rig, jumping into surrounding brush moments later.
Riverside County Fire Department crews reached the location within 20 minutes and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through light brush.
At 1 p.m., CHP officers shut down all westbound lanes of I-10 at Box Canyon Road, about 2.5 miles west of Chiriaco Summit, for public safety. A SigAlert was issued at 1:05 p.m. because of the ensuing traffic jam on the westbound side of the interstate.
Firefighters were making progress getting hose lays around the brusher as of 1:15 p.m., according to reports from the scene.
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