Cargo truck catches fire at intersection of Ruta 5

SANTIAGO.- A major traffic jam along Route 5 of the capital city this morning was caused when a truck caught fire near the intersection of General Velásquez.  The flames allegedly caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into the back of the car in front of him.

According to Radio Cooperativa, the fire in the truck, which was transporting lumber, may have been caused by the engine overheating, which the driver became aware of only after entering the Jorge Alessandri underpass.

After crashing into the vehicle in front of it, the truck’s gas tank burst and caught fire.

The flames completely destroyed the cabin of the vehicle but did not reach the load the truck was carrying, which would have caused a more serious disaster.

In addition to the driver, the truck was also carrying the man’s wife and 13 year-old son, who was unharmed. The boy’s mother was taken to the Hospital Barros Luco to be treated for minor injuries.