BOYLE HEIGHTS, CALIFORNIA — A major early-morning crash involving a semi-truck and multiple vehicles on southbound Interstate 5 in Boyle Heights left one person dead and 15 others injured Sunday, prompting a SigAlert and hours-long lane closures as crews worked a fire and investigated what led to the collision.

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The crash happened just after 5:00 a.m. on the southbound 5 Freeway near 4th Street, just north of the Interstate 10 interchange. The California Highway Patrol said a semi-truck collided with multiple vehicles, in a large multi-vehicle crash. The Los Angeles Fire Department initially reported a “large multi-vehicle accident on the freeway involving a semi tractor-trailer truck and multiple automobiles,” and said at least one vehicle caught fire.

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In an updated count, officials said 15 people were assessed at the scene. Authorities said 10 were transported to local hospitals, and their conditions were not immediately released. Investigators said one person died at the scene.

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Officials also said at least one vehicle involved caught fire, but the fire was later extinguished. Video from the scene showed widespread damage, and investigators said nine vehicles suffered major front-end damage, with footage indicating at least half a dozen vehicles were damaged.

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The California Highway Patrol said all lanes of southbound I-5 in Boyle Heights were closed due to the crash for at least three hours, and officials later announced the transition road from southbound I-5 to westbound I-10 would also remain closed for an additional period. Traffic was reported at a standstill by 7:00 a.m., and CHP issued a SigAlert closing all southbound lanes at 4th Street until 11:00 a.m.

The cause of the crash has not been released, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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