Wildfire Halted on Interstate 5 as Vehicle Explodes on the Grapevine

  • A cargo van exploded near Gorman on the Grapevine about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30. A wildfire about an acre in size was quickly contained by Kern County and Los Angeles County firefighters. [Jeff Zimmerman photo]

    A cargo van exploded near Gorman on the Grapevine about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30. A wildfire about an acre in size was quickly contained by Kern County and Los Angeles County firefighters. [Jeff Zimmerman photo]

GORMAN, CA (Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at 7 p.m.) —Photographer and retired firefighter Jeff Zimmerman, a Neenach resident, sent this report:

A cargo van exploded into flames along the Interstate 5 in the southbound lane near Gorman this afternoon. That started a small brush fire just minutes before 5 p.m. Several small explosions occurred which sent fire up a steep brush-covered ravine.

Los Angeles County and Kern County Fire Departments responded quickly to find the cargo van fully involved in fire. County Firefighters were able to contain the fire to about an acre of brush at the 4,000 foot level. The van was a total loss; the dollar loss for the van and its cargo is unknown.

Thick black smoke rolled across I-5 for over 30 minutes until the flames could be quelled and a line could be put around the fire.

The brush is tinder dry. Fortunately the fire was near a construction zone that had a large natural barrier to help slow the flames. Kern County Engines 56, 57 and Los Angeles County Engine 77 and its patrol responded with LACFD Engine 149 to put out the blaze.

This is part of the July 25, 2014 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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