One person has died after a semi-truck crashed and caught fire on southbound Interstate 805 near Mission Valley early Tuesday, causing lane closures, the California Highway Patrol said. The crash was reported around 6 a.m. after the semi-truck appeared to hit a crash cushion, a safety device used to absorb impact, at the I-805 and Interstate 8 split. CHP says that as a result of the crash, the truck caught fire and was fully engulfed. A witness told CHP it appeared the semi “exploded” after impact. The semi-truck after the fire was put out on March 3, 2026. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unknown if alcohol and or drugs were a factor in the crash. The name of the victim is not being released until family members are notified. The semi was carrying almonds, and almonds were reported to have fallen on the freeway and over the bridge to businesses below the I-805 bridge. Image of a car underneath the I-805 that had almonds fall on top of it after the crash on March 3, 2026. The California Highway Patrol said all lanes of I-805 were still closed around midday except for the #1 lane. UPDATE: 3/3/26 @ 7:15 AMI-805 SB, south of Murray Ridge Rd., all stopped traffic is being released into the #1 lane, past the scene.Please drive through the area with caution. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/IWXFsHYRYp— Border Communications Center (@CHP_SD_Traffic) March 3, 2026 Drivers are advised to utilize alternate routes. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact the CHP at (858) 293-6000. Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available. ...read more read less