5 Trucks Burn in Calif. Freeway Tunnel

[Ghost in the Machine]

5 Trucks Burn in Calif. Freeway Tunnel
Published: 10/13/07, 10:45 AM EDT

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) - Smoke leaked from both ends of a tunnel early Saturday after a 15-truck pileup on a rain-slicked Southern California freeway left 10 people injured and at least one missing, authorities said.

Fire Inspector Jason Hurd said the accident - the wreckage of which stretched for half a mile - began when two trucks collided late Friday and started a chain reaction in Interstate 5's southbound truck-only tunnels that run under the regular freeway near the intersection with the Antelope Valley Freeway.

Twenty people evacuated the fiery tunnel on foot, including the 10 injured, Hurd said, and five trucks were stuck inside. One truck driver was unaccounted for, and authorities were worried that more may be missing.

"We're going to have to do a very methodical search," Deputy Chief John Tripp told KABC-TV. "There could be unfortunately more people that were not able to escape."

Authorities said eight had minor injuries and two had moderate injuries, ranging from moderate burns to neck and back injuries. All 10 injured were taken to local hospitals.
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[B Calm]

1. My guess would be tailgating, and or bad brakes..

[kestrel91316]

4. I live in the area. My guess is tailgating at excessive speed PLUS

wet roads (it rained) PLUS bad brakes.

Truckers drive like maniacs here and love to tailgate at high speed.

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. Of course they do. That's why these accidents happen every single day.

I've driven through those tunnels hundreds of times and while they are signed as a "truck route" there is no restriction for cars to use them. This accident could just as easily been caused by some asshole in a car who escaped, only to leave the carnage behind him.

Truckers drive like maniacs here and love to tailgate at high speed

Yes. All truckers do that. And not one single truck in the country has working brakes.:sarcasm: :banghead:

What a load of shit.

[kestrel91316]

9. You said "all" in referring to truckers there. I didn't.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. And you are making an assumption as to cause with no facts to back it up.

Issue: Trucks are involved in an accident

Response: A "guess" that wet roads plus "Truckers (Not "SOME") Drive too fast (like "maniacs") and like to tailgate and probably had bad brakes".

So what would be your response if the investigation revealed that all the trucks involved had perfectly working brakes, were properly spaced for their speed, which was appropriate for conditions, but the accident occurred because the first one involved had to slow down radically because he came upon an automobile driven by someone freaked out that it was raining, going too slow in the left hand lane?

My guess is that this was an accident and before i jump to any conclusions, i'll wait for the results of the investigation before i cast blame on people who more than likely drive more miles in a month than you drive in a year.

[Colorado Progressive]

2. I wonder if any were Mexican truckers. nt

[B Calm]

3. If there were, will probably never hear about it!

[A HERETIC I AM]

6. What the hell difference would that make?

Oh...i know. You're hoping it WAS a Mexican trucker because that makes your disdain so much easier for you to justify. I see.

Personally, I wonder if any white truckers were involved. Those assholes are involved in an overwhelming number of accidents. I think they should outlaw white guys driving trucks. Or maybe it was some god damned Quebecois at fault. Fucking French speaking maniacs.

[cboy4]

7. Let's hope that Colorado Progressive was being

sarcastic.

It's the way I initially read the post.

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. Sarcastic or not, the LAST thing that comes to my mind when i hear of such an incident is what the

nationality of those involved is.

My first reaction is "Oh shit. I've been there, I've done that, I drove for 20 years and i know how quickly these things develop and i sure as hell hope no one was killed or seriously hurt".

In light of the extension of trucking lanes for Mexican companies a few weeks ago and the absurd and misinformed flamefests that ensued on DU, i think that Colorado Progressive, whether serious, facetious, sarcastic or whatever, is most likely not the only one who would have had those initial thoughts.