One confirmed dead in fiery big rig crash on Lakeville Highway

A big rig crash started a vegetation fire on Lakeville Highway Wednesday and shut down the two-lane road east of Petaluma.|

One person is confirmed to have died in a fiery big rig crash on Lakeville Highway Wednesday that ignited a vegetation fire and closed the busy rural east Petaluma thoroughfare to all traffic, CHP officials said.

The collision occurred in the 6300-block of Lakeville Highway, just south of Old Lakeville Road No. 2 just before 11:45 a.m. Early reports suggested the rig crashed into a Eucalyptus tree and burst into flames.

CHP Officer Steve Fricke said that the big rig was fully engulfed by the fire.

Officers shut down a seven-mile portion of the road between Highway 37 and Stage Gulch Road.

Cal Fire spokeswoman Suzie Blankenship said firefighters quickly stopped the forward progress of the wildland blaze. Additional details like how far it spread weren’t immediately available.

Check back for updates.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.

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