A Tesla semi-truck’s battery pack caught fire on California’s Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap in the Sierra Nevada mountains this week, prompting a hazardous materials response and causing a full closure of the freeway for more than half a day. California firefighters resorted to airdropping fire retardant on the Tesla truck, a technique normally reserved for forest fires.
CBS News reports that a electric semi-truck built by Elon Musk’s Tesla crashed and caught fire on Interstate 80 in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, leading to a prolonged closure of the major freeway. The incident, which occurred around 3:00 a.m., required a hazardous materials response due to potentially toxic fumes emanating from the burning batteries of the electric big rig.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Jason Lyman explained the complexity of the situation, stating, “The battery itself, you can’t just spray water on it to put it out. It takes either some sort of dry chemical or a very huge amount of water, I’ve heard as much as 40,000 gallons.” As a result, first responders had to keep people at least half a mile away from the scene to ensure their safety. As Breitbart News has previously reported, the major danger of an electric vehicle battery fire is the phenomena of “thermal runaway” in which batteries can overheat and explode many hours after the fire has been put out.
The crash occurred when the Tesla semi-truck veered off the roadway and collided with trees. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. However, the fire proved challenging to extinguish, with the batteries continuing to burn for hours after the initial crash.
To combat the flames, Cal Fire crews resorted to using aircraft to drop fire retardant on the semi, a tactic typically employed during wildfire fights. This unconventional approach was necessary to keep the fire under control while minimizing the risk to first responders.
The incident caused significant disruption to traffic along I-80, a crucial route connecting Northern California to Nevada. Initially, CHP expected the roadway to reopen by 8:00 a.m. Monday. However, the freeway remained fully closed through the late afternoon, with westbound lanes reopening around 4:30 p.m. and eastbound lanes remaining shut until late in the evening.
This is not the first time electric vehicle fires have posed challenges for first responders. In 2023, firefighters in the Sacramento area reported using approximately 6,000 gallons of water to extinguish a Tesla Model S fire on Highway 50. Months later, faced with a similar situation on Highway 99, firefighters opted to let the electric vehicle burn itself out due to the complexities involved in extinguishing the flames.
The Tesla semi-truck fire on I-80 has once again highlighted the need for specialized training and equipment for first responders when dealing with electric vehicle incidents. As the adoption of electric vehicles continues to grow, it is crucial that emergency services are well-prepared to handle the unique challenges posed by these new technologies.
The incident remains under investigation, and it is still unknown what cargo the Tesla semi-truck was hauling at the time of the crash. As more information becomes available, authorities will work to determine the cause of the accident and assess the effectiveness of the response to this unprecedented situation on California’s highways.
Read more at CBS News here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
