Big Rig Fire Briefly Threatens Monday Morning Commute

A big rig erupted in fire early today on the westbound Interstate 210 Foothill Freeway  near Sierra Madre Villa Avenue, prompting a swift response from local firefighters and the California Highway Patrol.

As of 3:51 a.m., firefighters were actively working to extinguish the blaze, which had engulfed the driver’s compartment of the semi-truck, according to reports from the scene.

The incident was first reported at approximately 3:44 a.m., with the tractor of the semi-truck fully engulfed in flames by 3:48 a.m.

The CHP was involved in managing traffic flow, with all lanes initially stopped before some were reopened.

By 4:07 a.m., lanes 4 and 5 were shut down, while the HOV lanes remained open. The CHP also requested a traffic break to facilitate the response efforts.

The semi-truck’s trailer was fully loaded, carrying approximately 40,000 pounds of cargo, and the tractor was fully burned down by the time responders arrived.

A tow truck was dispatched to the scene, with an estimated arrival time of 45 minutes to an hour.

Despite the intensity of the fire, firefighters managed to contain the blaze without needing to shut down the entire freeway.

By 4:14 a.m, the Pasadena Fire department no longer required the freeway to be closed.

The incident caused significant disruptions to early morning traffic, but authorities worked to minimize delays. By 4:37 a.m, traffic was flowing again.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported in connection with the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.