Fiery Big-Rig Multi-Vehicle Crash Injures 2

Two people were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon following a five-vehicle collision that caused a big-rig to overturn and catch fire, engulfing a second vehicle in flames on the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa.

The incident took place on the southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway, near Bristol Avenue, shortly after 12:30 p.m. The call came in as a rollover collision involving a big-rig, but as engines approached the scene a column of billowing smoke indicated a fire.

The cab portion of the semi-truck, which had been carrying a load of dry goods, exploded into flames, igniting another vehicle in the No. 1 lane and spilling diesel fuel onto the freeway.

California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer Anselmo Templado described the collision as a chain reaction that began in the No. 5 lane when a silver Ford Fusion traveling south changed lanes into the No. 4 lane and struck a silver Lexus, which then caused that car to veer left into the No. 3 lane and collide with the big rig.

“That impact caused the big rig to veer left into the No. 2 lane, where it struck a white Kia Forte,” Templado said. “Then, the Kia Forte veered to the left into the No. 1 lane, where it struck a white Toyota Tacoma — it was a chain reaction.”

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in approximately 20 minutes, as first responders worked to triage people at the scene of the crash.

Two occupants inside the Tacoma, the second vehicle to catch fire, were transported to an area hospital. Two more drivers declined medical assistance.

Accidents like these often leave victims with the right to pursue a claim. As one of the leading catastrophic personal injury law firms in California, Callahan & Blaine has obtained numerous record-breaking verdicts and settlements in cases like this, helping bring some small justice to the aggrieved family. If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury or died as the result of an accident, contact the best personal injury attorneys in Orange County for expert legal counsel. Contact Callahan & Blaine if you believe you have a right to seek justice at (888) 894-1703.

Jake Gosselin