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A Canadian man died in a skydiving accident in Perris. It was the facility's fifth fatality in 2011. (Photo: AP)

An experienced Canadian jumper died in a skydiving accident Tuesday at a parachuting facility in Perris. Investigators said the man was performing a risky, high-speed maneuver known as “swooping” when he landed hard in a shallow pond.

•   A Canadian skydiver was performing a high-speed landing trick when he failed to pull himself upright soon enough.

•   His parachute was open but he landed hard and died.

•   It was the fifth fatality at the facility this year.

The fatal accident occurred shortly after 2 p.m., according to a CBS News report.

Skydiving center manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld said 32-year-old Michael Ungar, who lived in  Aylmer, Ontario, sometimes worked as an instructor at Skydive Hollister on California’s Central Coast but had rarely jumped at the Perris facility.

On Tuesday, Ungar was performing a dramatic landing maneuver known as “swooping,” in which the diver pulls out of a high-speed dive just in time to skim a few feet above the ground at horizontal speeds up to 60 mph.

The goal is to level off a few feet off the ground, Brodsky-Chenfeld told the Los Angeles Times.

Divers reach speeds of up to 50 mph when they jump from the plane, but gradually slow down, he said. Many divers practice swooping over the shallow pond at the Perris facility, Brodsky-Chenfeld said.  The water provides an extra layer of protection.

“It’s softer than the ground but not that soft if you hit it at a high speed,” he said.

United State Parachuting Association safety director Jim Crouch said swooping is risky because of the high speed involved.

“A lot of jumpers choose to land this way because it’s exciting,” Crouch said. “But it’s very unforgiving.”

Ungar had successfully performed the same maneuver several times earlier that day, Brodsky-Chenfeld said. But on his last attempt, he didn’t pull up soon enough.

“He was a confident sky diver who made a big mistake too close to the ground,” Brodsky-Chenfeld said.

Ungar’s parachute was open and he was circling as he approached the ground, witness Jack Nix of Fontana told the Riverside Press-Enterprise. But Ungar did not pull up or turn his body upright. Instead, he disappeared behind a plane on the ground. A cloud of dust rose as he landed hard.

“It’s shocking,” Nix said. “I feel sorry for the guy.”

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman Ian Gregor said the agency only investigates such deaths to determine whether the parachute was packed properly by a certified person.

Ungar’s death was the fifth fatality at the Perris Valley Airport facility in 2011. There have been a total of 14 deaths since 2000.

California Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Three occupants of a stolen car were seriously injured when the vehicle crashed on the railroad tracks in Moreno Valley. (Photo: Desert Sun)

A 20-year-old driver — who allegedly was high on methamphetamine — and two passengers narrowly escaped death when a stolen car crashed on railroad tracks Wednesday in Moreno Valley.

•   An unlicensed driver on methamphetamine lost control of a stolen car while driving at high speed on a curve. 

•   The car rolled over onto some railroad tracks and ejected the driver and both of his passengers onto the tracks.

•   An oncoming freight train barely was able to stop in time to avoid running over the injured people. They were all hospitalized with major injuries.

•   The driver was arrested on several felony charges.

The accident occurred at 1:02 p.m., according to a report in the Desert Sun.

California Highway Patrol Officer Darren Meyer said Angel Morales of San Bernardino was driving a  Honda Civic that authorities believe was stolen earlier in Rialto.

Morales was driving the car westbound on San Timoteo Canyon Road at a high rate of speed when he attempted to pass another vehicle on a curve.

He crossed the double yellow lines as he tried to navigate the curve at high speed, but he lost control of the vehicle.

The car rolled over across the shoulder and onto the Union Pacific Railroad tracks that run parallel to the road. Morales and both of his passengers — who were not wearing seat belts — were thrown out of the car and onto the tracks. A freight train was coming down the tracks, but was able to stop just short of the scene.

“The conductor of an approaching freight train witnessed the collision and was able to stop the train just a few hundred feet from the (injured) bodies and damaged car on the tracks,” Meyer said.

The car also struck a power pole  and knocked it to the ground, but no power lines landed on the tracks.

Morales and both passengers suffered major injuries. They were taken to Riverside County Regional Medical Center, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Meyer said they were in serious condition but were expected to survive.

Morales faces several charges, including felony driving under the influence of methamphetamine and causing great bodily injury, driving a stolen vehicle, and driving without a license.

San Timoteo Canyon Road was closed for several hours while emergency crews cleared the scene and a Southern California Edison crew worked to replace the downed power pole. Union Pacific train service was disrupted for two hours, Meyer said.

Moreno Valley Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

The suspect in a fatal accident in Winchester was high on pot, police say.

Fatal DUI crash: The 20-year-old suspect in a head-on collision that killed a woman Monday in Winchester was high on pot, police say.

•   A man who was under the influence of marijuana started weaving in and out of traffic lanes. 

•   His vehicle crossed over into oncoming traffic and slammed head-on into another vehicle, killing the elderly female driver.

•   The man was hospitalized with major injuries but was expected to survive. He was arrested on felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter charges.

The fatal accident occurred just after 11 a.m., according to a report in the Riverside Press Enterprise.

CHP Officer Darren Meyer said Menifee resident Ryan Mahan was driving a 2003 Saturn Ion  westbound on Domenigoni Parkway, south of Hemet.

Witnesses said Mahan was speeding up and slowing down as he drove along the Parkway.  Meyer told the Southwest Riverside News Network that the Ion started to swerve in and out of lanes, possibly because Mahan was falling asleep. Eventually, the vehicle swerved into the oncoming traffic lane.

“The Saturn swerved south, over the concrete center median and directly into the path of an eastbound 2011 Toyota Camry,” Meyer said.

The Saturn slammed into the Toyota, killing the driver, 69-year-old Ella Anne Jefferson of Hemet. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mahan suffered major injuries and was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar in serious condition, Meyer said. He was arrested at the hospital. He was being treated for two broken legs and internal injuries, but was expected to survive, Meyer said.

Investigators found marijuana paraphernalia in the Saturn. They determined that Mahan was under the influence of the drug. Toxicology tests are pending.

Meter said Mahan did not have a prescription for medical marijuana, but even if he did it would not have exempted him from driving under the influence. Driving under the influence of marijuana poses the same danger and carries the same penalties as alcohol, Meyer said.

“I think marijuana’s worse,” Meyer said. “People think if they have a prescription, they can do whatever they want and makes them feel like there are no consequences. But it still affects the ability to operate heavy machinery. If you crash and kill somebody, there are consequences.”

Mahan faces felony charges of driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter.

Winchester Wrongful Death Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented the families of wrongful death victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

One person was killed and three others were seriously injured in a suspected drunk driving accident in Temecula.

Police suspect drunk driving and reckless driving were the chief causes of a car accident that killed one person and injured three others Saturday night in Temecula.

•   A drunk driver in a pickup truck ran a red light and was broadsided by another pickup truck.

•   The drunk driver died. His two passengers and the other driver suffered moderate to critical injuries.

•  All of the victims were hospitalized.

The fatal accident occurred at about  10:40 p.m., according to a a report in the North County Times.

Temecula police Sgt. Mark Leggett said 21-year-old Miguel Melchor, a local resident, was driving a white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck east on Rancho California Road and ran a red light at Meadows Parkway.

Melchor’s pickup truck broadsided by a white Toyota Tundra pickup traveling south on Meadows Parkway, Leggett said.

Melchor, his two male passengers, and the driver of the other pickup truck all were sustained serious injuries and were taken by ground ambulance to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, the Southwest Riverside News Network reported.

Leggett said Melchor died of his injuries at 11:36 p.m.

The other three victims suffered a variety of injuries that ranged from moderate to critical, Leggett said. The exact nature of the injuries was not released.

“Alcohol and reckless driving on the part of the driver of the Toyota Tacoma pickup is suspected to have played a part,” Leggett said.

Fatal Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

Almost 11,000 people die every year in drunk driving car accidents on U.S. roads, according to federal government statistics published by the non-profit group Alcohol Alert.  Drunk driving deaths account for more than a third of all U.S. traffic fatalities.

Many people believe drunk drivers fare better than their victims on the road, but that is not true. Almost two-thirds of those who are killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes are drunk drivers.

Drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes are typically not first-time offenders. Statistics show they are eight times more likely to have a prior drunk driving conviction than other drivers involved in fatal accidents.

More than half of drunk drivers involved in fatal accidents have levels of alcohol in their blood that are twice the legal limit — or more.

Temecula Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented drunk driving accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A 12-year-old girl was struck and killed on the Riverside Freeway in Mira Loma.

Fatal pedestrian accident: A 12-year-old girl was killed Christmas night when she ran out onto the Riverside Freeway in Mira Loma to collect clothing that had scattered on the road when suitcases fell off the roof of her family’s car.

•   A family was traveling on the Riverside Freeway on Christmas night when some luggage in their roof rack came loose and fell off.

•   The father, who was driving, pulled over to the shoulder. Two of his daughters jumped out and ran onto the freeway to try to grab some of the clothing that fell out of the luggage.

•   The 12-year-old daughter was struck by a car traveling 70 mph. She died at the scene.

The tragic freeway accident occurred at about 11 p.m., according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

The California Highway Patrol said the girl, Eunice Flores of Riverside, was riding in a Chevrolet Suburban with her sister, cousins and aunt. Her father was driving the vehicle westbound on the Riverside Freeway — California Route 60 — when some luggage that was strapped in roof rack somehow came open and fell off just east of Route 15.

“For some reason, some of the luggage on top of the vehicle had come apart,” CHP Officer Zachary Wenger told NBC News. “The driver stopped on the right shoulder.”

Witnesses said Flores got out of the vehicle, ran onto the freeway, and was darting in and out of traffic as she attempted to collect some of the clothing that had fallen out of the luggage.  Her sister got out with her, Wenger said.

“Family members started to get out to tell them to get back in the vehicle,” Wenger said.

Wenger said 74-year-old John Sullivan was driving a 1991 Mercedes 300E westbound on the freeway at about 70 mph when he approached the scene. By the time he saw the girl in the road, it was too late to avoid hitting her.

The 12-year-old girl died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

Police did not arrest Sullivan. The CHP’s Riverside division is investigating the accident.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

More than 4,000 pedestrians are killed every year — 11 every day — after being struck by motor vehicles, according to the latest National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics. An additional 59,000 are seriously injured.

The latest NHTSA figures show that:

• 69 percent of pedestrians killed in 2009 were males.
• Almost three out of every four pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas (72 percent).
• The top four states for pedestrian fatalities are California, Florida, Texas, and New York. These four states make up 41 percent of pedestrian fatalities nationwide while only accounting for 5 percent of the total traffic fatalities across the country.
• Nearly one-half (48 percent) of all pedestrian fatalities occurred on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — 70 percent occur at night (4 p.m. to 4 a.m.).

Alcohol is a major factor in pedestrian deaths, according to the non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In 2009, 37 percent of fatally injured pedestrians 16 and older had blood alcohol concentrations at or above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Fifteen percent of drivers involved in pedestrian deaths had blood alcohol levels at or above the legal limit.

Mira Loma Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented pedestrian accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A five-alarm fire engulfed a San Francisco apartment building on Thursday. (Photo: ABC News | More photos at end of post)

San Francisco‘s first five-alarm fire in eight years sent people running for their lives and huge flames completely engulfed an apartment building in the Western Addition neighborhood.

High winds spread the blaze spread to three adjacent    structures, including a school, a single-family home, and a large apartment complex.

•    A five-alarm fire engulfed a San Francisco apartment building and spread to three other structures.

•    A total of 32 dwellings were destroyed, with more than 60 people left homeless.

•    More than half of the city’s firefighting force was at the scene. It took them three hours to get the blaze under control.

•   Officials have not yet determined what started the fire. It remains under investigation.

The fire was reported just before noon, according to ABC News coverage reported by the local KGO affiliate news team.

The blaze started in a three-story, wood-framed Victorian-style apartment building at 1502 Golden Gate Avenue.

“I ran in and called 911, told them our building was on fire because I didn’t know where it was,” apartment manager Richard Lenhart said. “I could see the smoke coming in at the north end of the building through one of the windows.”

When firefighters arrived, high winds already had spread the flames to another apartment building  at 1015 Pierce Street, on the corner of Golden Gate Avenue, fire chief Joanne Hayes-White said. It later spread to an adjacent school and single family home.

Residents didn’t have time to grab any belongings before they escaped from the burning buildings. They had to run for their lives as huge flames tore through their apartments. All of the residents and most of the pets were quickly accounted for, but one cat was missing. Firefighters later found the cat deceased inside of the building.

It took 150 firefighters — half of the city’s daytime force, according to Hayes-White — more than three hours to get the raging fire under control, Hayes-White said.

“It was a challenging fire to fight, but given the time of day, it was actually helpful because most people were out of their dwellings,” the chief told CBS News.

The blaze that was so hot and intense that firefighters couldn’t get to the top floor of the Golden Gate condos to search for trapped residents, Hayes-White told the San Francisco Chronicle. Firefighters attacked the flames from the roof of the apartment building on Pierce Street before they drenched the building with water, the chief said.

“If you don’t make an aggressive attack, it is likely you will lose the entire block,” she said.

Eventually one of the fire commanders ordered all firefighters and police out of the buildings because it appeared the structures were about to collapse, police captain Denis O’Leary told SF Weekly.

“I have not seen anything like this in years,” O’Leary said.

One civilian and one firefighter were transported to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, according to the KGO report. Another firefighter suffered a minor burn injury on his neck and also was hospitalized.

The Creative Arts Charter School was closed for winter break, so no students or teachers were in the building. The school suffered water damage from sprinklers and blown-out windows, according to the Chronicle.

A total of 32 dwellings were completely destroyed, according to CBS. More than 60 people were left homeless, with all of their belongings destroyed just three days before Christmas. The Red Cross was helping residents displaced by the fire.

Mayor Ed Lee came to the scene and promised that the city would do everything possible to support displaced residents.

“We will be here all night helping every family,” he said.

Officials have not yet determined what caused the fire to start.

Here are more photos of the fire. Click on a link to see the image full-size.

San Francisco Fire Loss Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented fire loss victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A 7-year-old boy died two days after falling from a Sugar Bowl ski lift. (Photo: KCRA)

A 7-year-old boy died Tuesday after he fell from a ski lift and sustained a critical head injury Sunday at the Sugar Bowl ski resort in Northern California.

•   A 7-year-old avid skier fell 60 feet from a chair lift at a Sierra ski resort. He landed in a rocky area that was only partly covered by snow.

•   The boy suffered a critical head injury and was airlifted to a hospital in Reno, where he had surgery.

•   Sadly, he did not survive his injuries. He died on Sunday.

The accident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday, according to a report in the Auburn Journal.

Resort spokesman John Monson said the boy, who lived in Davis, was a member of the Sugar Bowl ski team. He was riding with two other team members on the Mount Lincoln Express chair lift when he fell 60 feet onto a hard-packed surface that was not fully covered in snow, Monson said.

The boy, who was wearing a helmet when he fell, suffered a severe head injury, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. Rescue patrol transported the boy down the hill on a sled. One witness said he saw the boy receiving CPR before he was airlifted via helicopter to Renown Medical Center in Reno.

At the hospital, doctors performed surgery to relieve the pressure in the little boy’s skull, but he died two days later.

Davis resident Jim Powell was at the resort chaperoning a high school ski team field trip on Sunday. He told the Davis Enterprise that he rode the same chairlift just moments later the victim fell.

“It did not look good” Powell said. “An adult would not have survived that fall.” Exposed rock stuck out from under the partial snow cover, he said.

But snow conditions are not necessarily a mitigating factor, ski patrol member James Margolis told the Gazette-Journal. Margolis said any 60-foot  fall from the chair lift would be “lethal, whether it’s in good conditions or bad.”

State officials and the Sugar Bowl Corporation both are conducting investigations. Monson said a state-led, independent inspection of the chair lift concluded that there were no malfunctions.

“We’re trying to work through what happened,” Monson said. He noted that there were conflicting reports as to what actually happened before the boy fell. “It’s our responsibility to gather all statements and determine what happened.”

Sugar Bowl has no minimum age requirement for skiers or snowboarders riding the lift without an adult.

California Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented all types of accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Actor Gerard Butler was hospitalized after a surfing accident while shooting a new film at Mavericks. (Photo: Ace Showbiz)

Actor Gerard Butler was hospitalized Sunday after a surfing accident while shooting his new film, Of Men and Mavericks, on location at the famous big wave surf break near Half Moon Bay.

•  Actor Gerard Butler was filming a scene for a movie at Mavericks, the Northern California surf break famous for huge waves. 

•   A pair of 15-foot-plus waves pulled him underwater and dragged him across the rocks.

•   He was rescued and taken to Stanford Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

The 42-year-old Scottish actor was filming a scene for his role as surfer Frosty Hesson, who mentored Santa Cruz big wave surfer Jay Moriarty. Moriarty became famous surfing Mavericks at age 16 but died in a free-diving accident at 22, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Butler was paddling out with other surfers on Sunday afternoon when the accident occurred. They were steering clear of a set of 15-foot waves when a much larger set broke in front of them, competitive surfer Zach Wormhoudt of Santa Cruz told the San Mateo County Times.

Two of the giant waves held Butler under water and dragged him across the rocks.

“It was probably the biggest set of the day,” Wormhoudt said. “It was intense for myself and I’ve been through a lot out there.”

A water safety guard rescued Butler and transported him to an area near the Pillar Point Harbor launch ramp on a jet ski.

He was treated by emergency responders from the Coastside Fire Protection District and the San Mateo County Harbor District. Paramedics then transported the actor to Stanford Medical Center, where he was examined and later released.

Actor Gerard Butler is transported to Stanford Medical Center after a surfing accident at Mavericks on Sunday. (Photo: ESPN | Frank Quirarte)

California Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented all types of accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

Hit-and-Run: A tow truck driver was struck on killed on Route 91 in Riverside.

A tow truck driver was struck and killed early Saturday morning as he was loading a disabled vehicle onto his truck on Route 91 in Riverside. The car that hit the tow truck driver fled the scene.

•   A two truck driver stopped on the right shoulder of the 91 freeway to assist a driver with a disabled vehicle.

•   As he was loading the disabled vehicle onto his tow truck, the driver was struck by a tan sedan.

•   The tow truck driver was thrown 60 feet into traffic lanes. He died two hours later.

•   The sedan fled the scene. 

The hit-and-run accident occurred at about 2 a.m., according to a report in the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

The California Highway Patrol said 40-year-old Christopher Barton Tatro, a Corona resident, was loading the disabled vehicle onto his flatbed truck on the eastbound shoulder of the freeway just west of Monroe Street at the time of the accident.

Tatro was standing on the driver’s side of his tow truck, operating the hydraulic lift, when a tan sedan veered from the number five lane, crashed into the left side of the tow truck, and then struck Tatro.

The impact threw the tow truck driver about 60 feet, into traffic lanes. The CHP said he suffered massive injuries to his legs and torso. He was transported to Riverside Community Hospital, where he died about two hours later, according to Inland News Today.

The car that hit Tatro fled the scene, exiting the freeway at Adams Street, according to witnesses. Officials said they have footage of the tan sedan, which may be a late-1990s Saturn. Part of the vehicle was left behind at the scene. Police say the right side the right wheels and headlight were damaged and the right-side mirror may be missing.

Police are urging anyone with information about the accident to call the CHP Inland Division at 909-806-2400.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

Every two hours, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident on U.S. roads, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Every nine minutes, a pedestrian is injured.

In total, more than 4,0oo pedestrians are killed and another 59,000 are injured every year.

At least 70 percent of pedestrian deaths occur at night and in the early morning hours when it is still dark.  Almost three-fourths occur in an urban/metropolitan area. And almost 90 percent of these fatal accidents occur during normal weather conditions — no rain, no snow, no fog.

Riverside Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented pedestrian accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A gas tanker fire severely damaged an overpass on the Pomona Freeway, closing the extremely busy commuter route for several days. (Photo: AP)

Tanker fire: A truck hauling 9,000 gallons of gasoline burst into flames Wednesday afternoon on the Pomona Freeway — State Route 60 — and melted the Paramount Boulevard Bridge in Montebello, about 12 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The freeway, which has been closed since the accident,  is one of the busiest arteries in the metropolitan area, especially for commuters coming from eastern Los Angeles County and adjoining Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

•    A gasoline tanker exploded and burst into flames on the Pomona Freeway — Highway 60 — under the Paramount Boulevard overpass.

•    The heat melted the bottom of the overpass. Pieces of concrete crashed to the freeway below.

•   The truck driver escaped without injury.

•    The busy freeway was closed for several days. The overpass has to be demolished and rebuilt.

The explosion and fire, which investigators believe was caused by overheated brakes or possibly some other mechanical failure, occurred just after noon, according to an ABC News report. There was no collision.

The heat and intense blaze melted the truck and burned a crater into the freeway. A loud explosion was heard as the fire cracked the overpass, sending chunks of concrete crashing down onto the freeway below.

“The explosion that witnesses most likely heard was the concrete in the bridge exploding from the extreme heat,” California Highway Patrol spokesman Saul Gomez said later at a press conference.

Miraculously, the driver — and reportedly one passenger — escaped the truck without injury.

Plumes of thick black smoke completely shrouded the area, according to CBS News. Firefighters worked frantically to extinguish the flames. It took more than an hour. When the fire was out, emergency crews were able to see that there was no concrete left on the bottom of the overpass.

Officials closed the freeway between Interstate 710 and Rosemead. As Caltrans assessed the damage, the story grew worse. Thursday night, workers discovered that the freeway overpass contained fiber-optic cables “that house potentially hazardous material,” Caltrans spokesman Patrick Chandler told the Los Angeles Times.

The cables were encased in plastic tubing that contained asbestos. Cutting the cables, which ran the length of the overpass, would have disrupted phone service for nearby businesses and homes and may have released the hazardous asbestos. Yet the overpass must be at least partially demolished in order to repair or replace it.

Officials were waiting to hear from Caltrans authorities in Sacramento to determine how to proceed. Meanwhile, the freeway remained closed.

The accident made headlines all over the world. Here is a brief video of the blazing tanker:

And here are more photos. Click on a thumbnail to see the image full-size:

Los Angeles Truck Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented truck accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.