A deadly chain-reaction collision brought the 210 Freeway in Irwindale to a halt Saturday morning after an eastbound big rig lost control, crossed the center divider and crashed into westbound traffic, killing one woman and injuring more than 30 others.
The wreck happened just before 9 a.m. near the west side of Irwindale Avenue, according to a California Highway Patrol incident report.
Authorities said at least three vehicles were caught up in the crash, though investigators were still working to determine the full number involved.
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Officials said the semi jackknifed during the crash, broke through the median barrier and hit a vehicle traveling the opposite way, triggering a multi-vehicle pileup that gridlocked traffic in both directions.
The woman who died was declared dead at the scene. Her name has not been publicly released.
Paramedics transported 10 people to area hospitals, including two patients listed in critical condition and eight others treated for minor injuries.
Six of those patients were juveniles.
Another 22 people suffered minor injuries but refused medical transport, officials said.
The chaos forced a massive shutdown of the roadway, with all westbound lanes closed and three eastbound lanes blocked, causing heavy traffic backups in both directions.
In a social media update, the California Highway Patrol said lanes would remain closed “for an unknown duration” as investigators worked to determine what caused the crash.
