Oil Slick on 210 Freeway Causes Series of Collisions, One Person Dead

Photo shows damaged surface of 210 Foothill freeway where a piece of concrete is believed to have came up the resulting pothole caused a series of traffic collisions and one fatality. [Pasadena Fire Dept. photo]

[Updated] A multi-vehicle crash on the westbound 210 Freeway near Pasadena left one person dead and at least two others hospitalized and caused an hours-long closure late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, authorities said.

The incident began just before midnight Wednesday when a piece of concrete, described as “about the size of a bowling ball,” came up from the freeway near the North Michillinda Avenue onramp, according to Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian.

Vehicles drove over the concrete debris, causing oil pans to rupture and creating an oil slick approximately half a mile long on the freeway, Derderian said.

The slick caused a number of traffic collisions.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene at approximately 11:45 p.m. The crash involved three to four semi-trucks, including a UPS truck, and multiple passenger vehicles, CHP Officer Sean Lough told City News Service.

Officers found a sedan and two semis blocking the middle lanes of the freeway, along with several damaged vehicles including a white Honda Civic with its front bumper ripped off.

A vehicle spun in the oil slick, slid and struck a tree on the embankment, Derderian reported. A person was trapped inside and was later freed by firefighters.

Initially reported as a non-injury collision, the incident was reclassified as a fatality at 2:04 a.m. Thursday. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Two additional people were transported by the Pasadena Fire Dept. to hospitals with minor injuries, according to Derderian.

The incident caused a full closure of all westbound lanes, with traffic diverted off at Rosemead Boulevard. The Michillinda Avenue on-ramp to the westbound 210 was also shut down.

Derderian reported that lanes 2-4 were closed for an unknown duration, with only the HOV and #1 lanes remaining open.

A SigAlert was issued due to the closure.

The CHP announced lanes were reopened at 4:12 a.m. Thursday, allowing traffic to resume.

CHP officials are continuing to investigate the cause and circumstances of the accident.