Firefighters finish clearing wreckage from LA tunnel blaze
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Firefighters completed clearing charred wreckage from a California motorway tunnel inferno on Sunday, two days after a deadly pile-up that left three people dead, officials said.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said it had finished clearance operations early Sunday afternoon, allowing officials their first chance to assess structural damage to the tunnel.
A total of 28 commercial trucks and one passenger vehicle were trapped in the blaze, which late Friday occurred on the Interstate 5, a key transport link that connects Northern and Southern California, near Santa Clarita, 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Nearly 300 firefighters were deployed to tackle the inferno, which was left to burn itself out because of the intensity of the flames.
Three people, two adult males and an infant, were confirmed dead in the accident, local authorities said. Eight people were injured.
The road is likely to be closed for several days as officials assess damage to the tunnel, which is used mostly by truckers and runs beneath the main freeway above.
On Saturday, chunks of concrete were exploding from the walls and ceiling of the tunnel as structural steel expanded because of the heat.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared the scene an official disaster late Sunday as limited traffic was allowed to pass through two of the freeway's 12 lanes.
Local train company Metrolink said it would add two extra trains to its schedule to help people commuting to Los Angeles for work.
State transport chief Doug Failing said no southbound traffic would be allowed until the damaged tunnel is shored up, most likely Tuesday.
