NB 5 Freeway in Burbank temporarily shut down after bomb squad investigates backpack emitting smoke
BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- A portion of the northbound 5 Freeway in Burbank was temporarily shut down Friday afternoon as a bomb squad investigated a suspicious package.
Burbank police closed the freeway at Burbank Boulevard after a passerby spotted an unattended backpack that was emitting smoke on the overpass, police said.
Police and firefighters responded around 1:30 p.m. and found the item on the south sidewalk of Burbank Boulevard.
A sheriff's bomb squad was dispatched to the scene, and a bomb squad technician checked the backpack. It's unclear what caused the smoke, but the backpack eventually caught fire as it was being examined, and it completely burned.
It was also unclear how the backpack wound up at the location.
Investigators say they haven't determined what was inside the backpack.
Police announced just after 4:10 p.m. that the investigation was wrapping up and the freeway would reopen soon. The investigation caused a major traffic backup during the afternoon rush hour.
The northbound freeway finally reopened at about 5 p.m., but traffic was backlogged well into East Los Angeles.
City News Service contributed to this report.
