A fiery multi-vehicle crash on the westbound 210 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley on Saturday night injured several individuals and led to extensive lane closures.
The incident began around 6 p.m. near the 118 Freeway in the Lake View Terrace area when a Tesla reportedly traveling at high speed in the wrong direction collided with a U-Haul box truck. The impact caused the box truck to erupt in flames.
Soon after the initial collision, a second crash involving several other vehicles occurred. The Los Angeles Fire Department and California Highway Patrol responded to the scene. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in the box truck, and paramedics assessed at least four patients. One person was transported to a local hospital.
Witnesses described the chaos following the crash. Crystal Alch, a resident of Santa Clarita who was traveling on the freeway, recounted seeing the black car driving the wrong way. She described how multiple vehicles attempted to swerve out of the way before the Tesla struck the box truck, an impact she likened to a missile explosion.
All but one lane on the westbound 210 Freeway were closed for several hours following the incident. Traffic flow returned to normal by approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday.