SIG ALERT: I-5 At At A Dead Stop Through Mission Viejo Wednesday

MISSION VIEJO, CA—Northbound traffic through Mission Viejo slowed to a crawl Wednesday afternoon after a crash between a sedan and a big rig resulted in a large fuel spill, amounting to over 75 gallons of diesel fuel. The subsequent closure lasted for hours as officials cleaned up the scene of fuel and disabled vehicles.

The crash, which occurred at 1 p.m., ended with a SIG Alert that was projected to last until after 5 p.m., CHP said. No one was injured in the initial incident, he said.

"The closure was extended due to an extensive fuel cleanup," CHP Patrol Officer Vinny Alvarez said. Tow trucks were slow to the scene as Cal Trans worked to reopen at least two lanes of travel.

Alvarez confirmed with Patch that the northbound I-5 freeway's #2, #3, #4, and #5 lanes were all closed during the incident, and the eastbound Oso Parkway offramp was also closed.

As the day wore on, lanes reopened slowly.

The Sig Alert, originally estimated to last until about 2:30 p.m., has been extended and will last "until the roadway is cleaned up," Alvarez said. "The tank on the side of the big rig is leaking a large amount of fuel."

Orange County Fire Authority crews responded to assist around 1 p.m. and worked to stop the active spill, which they achieved shortly before 2:30 p.m. Cal Trans workers remained, cleaning up the scene.

Just after 1 p.m., dispatchers were alerted to a crash involving a semi-truck and a gray sedan blocking the slow lane of I-5 northbound, according to CHP dispatch.

Officers at the scene informed us that the semi-truck was leaking a "large amount of diesel fuel."