BAKER, CA. (Pain In The Pass) >> A semi pulling an Energy Storage/generator Shipping Container (like a conex box) on a trailer overturned on southbound Interstate 15 and caught fire. The fire has continued to burn for hours after the lithium-ion batteries inside the storage box caught fire Friday morning, firefighters say. (Photo above is credit by San Bernardino County Fire Department)
California Highway Patrol and the San Bernardino County Fire Department says it was called in at 6:56am July 26, 2024. The location of the crash was reported about two miles after the Afton Road exit on northbound I-15 right shoulder.
For reasons still under investigation, the semi driver veered off the right shoulder of the freeway, then swerve. This caused both the semi tractor-trailer and the lithium-ion batteries in the storage box to overturned.
SBFD said, the overturned semi with fuel/oil leak, hauling the connex box was full of lithium-ion batteries. Cargo now burning.
CHP issued a hard closure for both directions has been implemented to establish a safe distance from the fuel and oil along the roadway. Suppression efforts have also been complicated by the truck’s content. Additional resources have also been requested at the scene, this including a HazMat unit, additional mass amount of water and heavy equipment to pick up the container.
No injuries have been reported at this time.
Those traveling across the California-Nevada state line is advised to prepare for major delays or find alternate routes.
Update at 3pm CHP has open only southbound side. Hard closure still remains in place for the northbound I-15 with no estimated time to reopen.
Update at 9pm Heavy equipment and additional resources have arrived on scene, and a comprehensive plan has been initiated to address the incident at this time.
One of the significant challenges in this remote area is the logistics of transporting equipment, personnel, and water to the scene. This area of the county is very distant from many of our stations, and the required equipment and personnel have extended ETA’s. The current traffic conditions have further increased these response times. San Bernardino County Fire is working closely with Caltrans, utilizing heavy equipment from both agencies to manage the situation.
The primary objective is to maintain public safety, which is why the hard closure is in place. Lithium-ion batteries fires are particularly hazardous due to the chemicals released during off-gassing and the potential for thermal runaway. Thermal runaway can cause the fire to spread rapidly and emit toxic gases, making it essential to handle the situation with extreme caution.
Crews are currently working on improving the ground and grading a large berm adjacent to the container to facilitate its safe removal from the freeway into open land. This operation requires dozers to grade the area, allowing the container, which is estimated to weigh between 60,000 to 70,000 pounds, to be moved safely. Firefighters, while making entry with protective gear, are evaluating the integrity of the container itself. The priority at this point is to maintain public safety and reopen the freeway. Once this is accomplished, crews will move on to the next steps for final completion.
We are also addressing any potential environmental impacts from the hazmat and chemical components involved. Our teams are working with federal cooperators from the Bureau of Land Management, as their jurisdiction is directly adjacent to the freeway location. Steps are being taken to ensure that the incident doesn’t spread into the adjacent vegetation.
They are working diligently to mitigate the incident and hope that CHP will be able to open the NB I-15 as soon as it is safe to do so.
Update at 8am Saturday The lithium-ion batteries are still on fire and attempts to move the container holding them away from the freeway was unsuccessful. The air quality is being monitored within the hazardous zone. Testing is being done on the air quality, and if it comes back within an acceptable range, one lane of northbound I-15 could be opened. It could immediately close depending on the fire and the toxic fume levels.
If you are using I-40 for travel, traffic is very heavily congested, and you can expect additional major delays. Any non-essential travel is not recommended.
9am Saturday update, The air quality within and around the hazardous materials fire is improving. It is currently being estimated that if all situations remain the same, one lane of northbound I-15 will reopen at approximately 12pm Saturday afternoon (Approximately 3 hours from now.)
Update at 12 noon Saturday, Hazardous materials crews are currently suited up and testing air quality around the hazardous materials fire to determine if traffic can begin to pass.
Update at 12pm noon after testing it wasn’t safe to reopen northbound lanes.
Update at 4pm Saturday Northbound I-15 closure will remain in place for unknown duration and will update in the morning. Southbound I-15 is still open.
Final Update at 3:45am on Sunday all lanes of northbound I-15 are back open.
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