Tanker truck hauling chemical materials catches fire, causes 5 Freeway shutdown in Pyramid Lake

PYRAMID LAKE, Calif. (KABC) -- The 5 Freeway in Pyramid Lake was shut down after a tanker truck believed to be hauling chemical materials caught on fire late Monday afternoon.

Traffic was snarled in both directions as the California Highway Patrol shut down lanes after the crash was reported around 5:30 p.m.

Authorities didn't allow any vehicles within a half-mile from the scene as firefighters extinguished the flames with foam. It's unclear what type of chemical the truck was hauling.

It was not immediately clear what caused the incident or if any injuries were reported.

Northbound lanes reopened after several hours, but only one lane on the southbound side was open Monday night.