Two big rigs crash on Interstate 80 near Truckee, closing eastbound Sierra freeway

Two big rigs crashed early Tuesday on Interstate 80 near Truckee, leaving debris across the Sierra Nevada freeway and forcing authorities to close the eastbound lanes for hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The collision was reported about 3:33 a.m. near the scales east of Truckee. One tractor-trailer went over a concrete barrier and was left teetering while a big rig pulling double trailers sustained damage that tore open both trailers, CHP dispatch logs showed.

Debris from the crash blocked all lanes, and the CHP stopped eastbound traffic as crews responded.

The CHP initially received a report that a driver was trapped in one of the trucks. The agency later classified the collision as involving two big rigs with minor injuries.

Authorities summoned multiple heavy-duty tow trucks to recover the damaged tractor-trailers. Traffic was turned around at Overland Trail as crews worked to clear the wreckage.

The CHP’s Truckee office said at 7:15 a.m. that recovery and cleanup operations remained underway and there was no estimated time for reopening eastbound I-80.

A photo released by the CHP’s Truckee office showed two heavy-duty tow trucks working to recover the damaged tractor-trailer resting across a concrete barrier.

The cause of the collision remained under investigation.