Lanes reopened on Highway 101 following vehicle fire

SALINAS, Calif. (KION)

UPDATE 7/22/2020 6 p.m. KION's crew at the scene reports that traffic has cleared and lanes have reopened.

PREVIOUS STORY: Drivers can expect lane closures on Highway 101 near North Main for the next two hours due to a vehicle fire.

The California Highway Patrol said a white van crashed into the southbound center median, and witnesses tell the CHP that the vehicle was driving recklessly before the crash. The van then caught fire.

Before officers got there, the CHP said the driver left the area. Witnesses told them he went into Salinas on foot.

One lane of Highway 101 is open in each direction, but lane closures are expected to be in place for the next two hours. The vehicle will be removed, and Caltrans was called out to work on guardrail repairs.