Tragedy struck the 5 Freeway in Sylmar late Thursday night when two individuals lost their lives in a severe collision, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The incident involved an SUV and a semi-truck near the Roxford Street exit, which led to the closure of multiple northbound lanes, reported ABC7. The crash took place at approximately 10:41 p.m., resulting in a fire that ultimately engulfed the SUV.
The blaze proved deadly for two occupants, a 40-year-old male and a 30-year-old female, whose identities have yet to be disclosed. An eyewitness to the horrifying scene, in a statement obtained by ABC7, recounted his desperate efforts to assist, saying, "I rushed over. I tried to get the semi's attention to get a fire extinguisher. By the time he could get out and use the extinguisher, the car was already engulfed. He exhausted the extinguisher and the car was still going. The fire was still going." The freeway lanes were impacted well into the early morning hours.
Following the incident, the Los Angeles Fire Department issued an alert, updating the status of the emergency call to a double fatality. The LAFD's notification provided further details about the crash, informing that both the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol were on scene, with the latter being the lead agency handling the investigation.
All lanes were reported to have been reopened to drivers by 5:30 a.m. on Friday, allowing traffic to resume normal flow after hours of closure.
