A Drum Roll Please

How do you really screw-up the already screwed-up holiday traffic in L.A.? Try dropping drums of toxic substances on the freeway near LAX:

Crews are clearing 55-gallon drums and an overturned truck from the southbound 405 Freeway after a crash Wednesday morning in Hawthorne.

The overturned truck and cleanup process closed the southbound 405 Freeway near Rosecrans Boulevard. More than 20 drums containing hazardous chemicals fell from the truck in Hawthorne.

CHP officials have reopened two lanes.

Authorities said the cleanup might slow traffic throughout the afternoon. The California Highway Patrol said the cleanup might continue until 3 p.m.

The northbound 405 Freeway remains open, but traffic is slow.

With all southbound lanes closed Monday morning, holiday traffic en route to Los Angeles International Airport backed up quicky. At 11:30 a.m., the backup extended into the San Fernando Valley.

LAX is no picnic on a normal day, but on the day before Thanksgiving it's an absolute madhouse. Add to that potentially thousands of air travelers who are missing their flights because of the traffic snarl and you have all the makings of...Baghdad.