Two people died after a pickup truck overturned and burst into flames on Interstate 10 near the Cactus City rest stop Thursday morning, according to California Highway Patrol.
As of 11:05 a.m. two lanes on the eastbound side of the road were closed as CHP investigated the incident. One lane remained open. Google Maps showed a moderate backup on eastbound I-10 at around 11:30 a.m.
CHP said a 2002 Ford pickup truck was driving east at around 9:58 a.m. when it “made an unsafe turning movement” toward the right shoulder of the road. The truck overturned and landed on its roof before becoming engulfed in flames. The two people inside the truck at the time died of their injuries.
The crash occurred in roughly the same area as another that killed one person, reported earlier this week.
On Tuesday, a big rig was traveling west on Frontage Road east of the Cactus City rest stop when it drifted onto the right shoulder and veered sharply left before losing control, according to a previous CHP report. The truck then crossed the center median before sliding down an embankment and overturning. It also became engulfed in flames, which sparked a brush fire that was quickly extinguished.
There is no information to determine if the crashes are related.
Sam Morgen covers the city of Palm Springs for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Two dead after truck overturns and bursts into flames on Interstate 10
Reporting by Sam Morgen, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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