A tractor-trailer caught fire Thursday on Interstate 15 near the boundary separating Riverside and San Diego counties, prompting lane closures that snarled traffic.
The non-injury blaze was reported just after 11 a.m. Thursday on southbound I-15 at Rainbow Canyon Boulevard, near the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The agency said the trucker was waiting near the checkpoint when the semi’s engine blew, leading to flames spreading into the cab. The driver, whose identity was not released, and a bystander attempted to use fire extinguishers to douse the flames, without luck, according to reports from the scene.
The CHP stated that, initially, personnel from Cal Fire-San Diego County were sent to the location, but the big rig was ultimately determined to be just inside of Riverside County, so multiple county fire engine crews also responded.
Firefighters got the blaze under control within 15 minutes.
CHP officers shut down the southbound slow lane and exit lanes to Rainbow Canyon, disrupting traffic. However, no SigAlerts were issued.
By noon, firefighters were mopping up.
The closures were expected to be lifted before 1 p.m.