One killed in 4-vehicle crash on 101 Freeway in Encino

One person was killed and another was found trapped beneath a vehicle after a four-vehicle crash shut down all northbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in Encino early Saturday, the California Highway Patrol said.

The fatal crash temporarily halted all northbound traffic on the Ventura Freeway, one of the primary corridors linking the San Fernando Valley to Los Angeles, highlighting the danger that disabled vehicles pose when left blocking high-speed travel lanes.

The crash was reported at 1:48 a.m. Saturday after a black sedan had stopped in the northbound fast lane with its hazard lights on, south of White Oak Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol. A second vehicle struck the disabled car, and three additional vehicles became caught up in the ensuing collision.

Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived to find one person pinned under a vehicle. Crews used a jack to extricate the individual from beneath the wreckage, the fire department said.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office is responsible for identifying the victim; no public release of the victim's identity had been made as of Saturday morning. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

The California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert at 2:38 a.m., roughly 50 minutes after the initial report, and diverted northbound traffic off the freeway at White Oak Avenue. Two lanes were later reopened, but three lanes remained closed while investigators worked the scene.

No arrests were announced in connection with the crash. The California Highway Patrol said the investigation remains ongoing.