Vehicle fire clogs up freeway

A portion of the Costa Mesa Freeway was shut down during rush hour

traffic Wednesday night because a vehicle carrying propane tanks caught

fire.

Motorists traveling southbound on the Costa Mesa Freeway trying to get to

the San Diego Freeway were stuck as the California Highway Patrol closed

all of the lanes shortly after 6:30 p.m.

Authorities said a 20-foot trailer was involved in an accident with two

other vehicles. The driver of the trailer suffered injuries and was taken

to an area hospital. The other two drivers had minor injuries.

The impact of the crash caused the trailer to catch fire. Authorities

were concerned that propane tanks located in the back of the trailer

might explode and cause further injury. To ensure the safety of

motorists, the southbound lanes were shut down for about 20 minutes until

the fire was extinguished, police said.