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Panorama City, CA (August 6, 2026) — Two people were injured when a big rig hauling several vehicles crashed into an apartment building in the 8000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard on Tuesday, August 4.
The collision occurred around 2:20 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Before reaching the building, the truck struck five vehicles parked along the roadway.
Emergency personnel transported two people to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials did not clarify whether either injured person was inside the truck, one of the parked vehicles, or the apartment complex.
The crash displaced 13 residents. The Red Cross was contacted to help arrange temporary shelter, while the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety was asked to evaluate the damaged structure. A utility provider also responded after a gas line broke.
Crews removed the big rig shortly before 10 p.m.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. We hope those injured recover fully and the displaced residents can return home safely.
Where the Crash Happened: 8000 Block of Van Nuys Blvd
Van Nuys Boulevard is a surface-road corridor serving residential and commercial areas in Panorama City. Buildings, parked vehicles, sidewalks, and property entrances sit close to portions of the roadway, leaving less separation between traffic and nearby structures than on a controlled-access highway.
When a large vehicle leaves a boulevard travel lane, several roadside areas may be affected over a short distance. Investigators can use the roadway alignment, curb area, parking configuration, and building location to trace the truck’s path.
What We Know
- The crash occurred around 2:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
- The big rig was transporting nearly six vehicles.
- Five parked vehicles were struck before the truck hit the apartment building.
- Two people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
- Thirteen residents were displaced.
- A gas line was damaged.
- Building officials, utility personnel, the Red Cross, and firefighters responded.
- The truck was removed shortly before 10 p.m.
Why a Car-Hauling Truck Can Cause Widespread Damage
A big rig carrying several vehicles has substantial size and weight, which can affect how far it travels after control is lost and how much damage occurs during multiple impacts. Its length also means different portions of the truck and trailer may contact parked vehicles, roadside objects, and structures along its path.
In this Panorama City crash, investigators will need to determine the order in which the five parked vehicles and the apartment building were struck. Damage patterns across the truck, transported vehicles, parked cars, and buildings may help reconstruct that sequence.
How This Crash Is Investigated
Investigators may document the truck’s mechanical condition, its final position, roadway evidence, damage to the parked vehicles, and the points where the building and gas line were struck. They may also examine whether the vehicles being hauled remained secured during the collision.
Witness statements and available surveillance footage could help establish the truck’s movements before it reached the apartment complex. The building assessment and utility response will address structural and gas-system safety, while the crash investigation focuses on how the roadway departure occurred.
What to Do After a Commercial-Vehicle Collision
People affected by a California commercial-vehicle crash should preserve photographs, medical records, property-damage estimates, temporary lodging expenses, towing records, and insurance correspondence. Residents whose homes are damaged or temporarily inaccessible may also need records from building officials and emergency-response agencies.
Because this crash occurred on a city boulevard, the report would generally be requested from the local law enforcement agency that investigated it. The spreadsheet states that the California Highway Patrol handles crashes it investigates on freeways and state highways, as well as in unincorporated areas, while local police departments handle city-street crashes.
For a CHP-investigated collision, reports are available through the CHP Crash Portal at crashes.chp.ca.gov or through a CHP 190 request submitted by mail or in person. The collision report is CHP 555, while CHP 190 is the request form.
The CHP online portal fee is $22. Mail and in-person requests cost $10 per 25 pages. Reports become available after the officer files them, and the portal indicates when a report is ready.
Under Vehicle Code § 20012, eligible parties of interest include drivers, passengers, vehicle or property owners, parents or guardians, and legal or insurance representatives. California collision reports are not public records and remain restricted to eligible parties, with no fixed public-release window.
Local Accident Reports compiles incident information from official agencies and credible local sources. Details from initial reports may be updated as official investigations conclude. If you have direct knowledge that any information here is inaccurate, please contact us so we can review and correct the record.
