RED BLUFF, Calif. --
A big rig explosion shattered the calm of an Interstate 5 rest stop north of Red Bluff early Monday, leading to the shutdown of some freeway lanes for several hours.
Nobody was hurt after the big rig caught fire at about 1 a.m., but the resulting explosions were felt as far as five miles away.
Twisted metal and melted rubber were left behind following the fire, which burned for about four hours. Shrapnel flew over a wide area of the rest stop.
The truck was carrying a load of sodium chlorate, a chemical used to bleach paper.
The driver of the truck, who was sleeping when the fire broke out, escaped to safety.
"This hit harder than an earthquake," witness Keith Hastings said.
As a safety precaution, the south lanes of I-5 were closed for hours at Hooker Creek Road and traffic was detoured. The north lanes remained open. By 9 a.m., south I-5 was open again.
The California Highway Patrol said the driver parked the truck at the rest stop and decided to get some sleep. The truck's engine was left idling.
The fire appeared to start in the engine, spreading to the rest of the truck. Several explosions resulted.
"I thought we were bring bombed at first," said Ashley Aquiar, who lives nearby.
Drivers of other trucks parked at the rest stop had to evacuate quickly. Some did not have a chance to grab their clothes, so firefighters provided clothing and urged them to evacuate to nearby hotels.
Firefighters decided not to try to put the blaze out. They instead let the fire burn itself out.
The sodium chlorate burned so hot that it turned into sodium chloride, also known as table salt.
The CHP said the incident appeared to be accidental. Nobody will likely face charges, authorities said.
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