Freeway closed in early morning, two lanes open most of the morning at southbound Smokey Bear due to truck fire and spilled load of fuel and fruit.

UPDATED FRIDAY 1:09 pm



Caltrans has lifted the SigAlert at the southbound I-5 just north of Smokey Bear Road after cleaning up fuel and fruit spilled by a big rig that burned shortly after 2 a.m.

The driver escaped the burning truck and Caltrans implemented a complete closure of the southbound lanes at 3:03 a.m. because the big rig’s tires had exploded, the fruit cargo had fallen into traffic lanes and a significant amount of fuel had seeped across the freeway.

Fire units were able to contain the fuel, diverting it from storm drains.