Big Rig Fire Snarls Traffic on I-210 in Pasadena

A semi-truck fire on Interstate 210 East near Berkshire Avenue caused major traffic delays late Friday night and into early Saturday morning as emergency crews battled the blaze and cleared hazardous debris from the roadway.

The incident began at approximately 10:54 p.m. when a fire reportedly erupted in the rear tire of a big rig’s cab on the right shoulder just west of Arroyo Boulevard, quickly spreading to the trailer, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Pasadena Fire Dept. crews responded.

By 11:14 p.m., authorities temporarily halted all lanes of eastbound Interstate 210 as firefighters worked to contain the fire. A SigAlert was issued at 11:27 p.m., restricting traffic to only the No. 1 lane. The closure was initially expected to last two hours while firefighters worked to contain the flames and remove the damaged vehicle.

At 11:48 p.m., officials determined that burned plastic crates were scattered across the freeway, prompting them to request assistance from the California Department of Transportation for debris removal. Caltrans supervisors were expected to arrive at 12:27 a.m., with cleanup operations estimated to take an additional 30 minutes.

Specialized equipment, including a lowboy trailer and rotator, was called in to handle the burned vehicle. Two towing services, Navarro’s Towing and Citywide Towing Inc., were dispatched to assist with the removal operation, with arrival times estimated between 30 and 45 minutes.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control by 12:39 a.m., though crews remained on scene for additional cleanup operations.

No injuries were reported in the incident. The cause of the fire officially remains under investigation.