Fiery crash snarls I-5 traffic near Camp Pendleton

A fiery crash shut down northbound Interstate 5 a few miles north of Oceanside early Monday morning, snarling traffic along the busy freeway alongside Camp Pendleton, California Highway Patrol online logs show.

Authorities indicated the crash involved a single SUV, which reportedly caught fire and trapped at least one person inside. It was unclear how many people had been inside the vehicle when it crashed just before 7 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-5, in the general area of a Coaster train yard.

A photo posted to X by the CHP’s Oceanside office showed the vehicle on its side, its front end destroyed.

The agency’s online logs indicate the entire freeway was briefly closed so a medical helicopter could land. Details on injuries were not available.

Some lanes remained closed, and traffic was backed up for miles. Caltrans said just after 9 a.m. that a traffic advisory had been lifted.