Both Sides Of 710 Freeway In East Los Angeles Shut Down By Downed Power Lines
EAST LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The northbound and southbound lanes of the Long Beach (710) Freeway were shut down Saturday in East Los Angeles after utility lines were pulled down onto vehicles by construction equipment, authorities said.
An excavator got tangled up in power lines, causing the major disruption. The force was so powerful that it snapped a power line in two. Power lines were spread across the freeway.
Edison crews had to shut off power to some customers in the area and the excavator was eventually rescued.
The freeway was shut down at Whittier Boulevard with northbound traffic diverting to the Santa Ana (5) Freeway and southbound traffic exiting at the Pomona (60) Freeway, the California Highway Patrol said.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Traffic was backed up for several miles.
The southbound 710 at Whittier Boulevard was already closed for construction at the time of the accident.
The highway in both directions will stay closed until around 3 a.m. Sunday morning.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
