Jet fuel tanker fire provides some scary moments on 405 near LAX

LOS ANGELES — A brake fire in a tanker truck hauling jet fuel caused a traffic nightmare Monday afternoon for drivers on the northbound 405 Freeway.

The smoking tanker was reported just before 1 p.m. just south of La Cienega Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol, which temporarily closed all northbound lanes as firefighters put out the flames and began offloading the fuel into a functional rig.

Los Angeles Fire Department crews quickly doused the flames, but three lanes remained closed more than three hours after the fire was reported, according to the CHP.

The fuel transfer was expected to take several hours, a CHP officer said.

No one was injured.

Orange County Register reader John Van Vlear was driving to Santa Barbara when he passed by the burning tanker, and he shot a picture with his iPhone.

“‘That sucker could blow’ was my thought as I scooted by on the left and accelerated briskly,” he said.

Luckily firefighters got there in time.

Daily Breeze staff contributed to this report.