Sierra Nevada, California – A fire involving an electric semi-truck on Monday, August 19, 2024, led to the closure of both directions of Interstate 80 in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada as authorities worked to control the intense heat and hazardous fumes emanating from the vehicle’s batteries.
The incident occurred at around 3:15 a.m. near Emigrant Gap. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), an electric truck traveling eastbound veered off the road at the Laing Road offramp, crashing into trees along the right shoulder. Officer Jason Lyman, a CHP’s Gold Run office spokesperson, confirmed that the driver was unharmed and that no other vehicles were involved.
The Tesla Semi truck, which was not towing a trailer then, was heading uphill west of Yuba Gap. Investigators are still determining what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
This Tesla semi truck fire incident, sparked by the truck’s batteries after the vehicle began emitting smoke, quickly became the focus of authorities. Officer Lyman reported that the fire produced a significant plume of smoke, prompting a swift response from firefighters using chemical extinguishers. As of 9 a.m., the fire was still smoldering.
To protect public safety, a half-mile buffer zone was established around the fire to shield bystanders and motorists from toxic fumes. Firefighters from Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit were on the scene, using masks and breathing apparatus to manage the situation.
The highway was closed at 5:30 a.m. and was expected to remain shut for several hours due to the persistent fire.
“It’s not big flames, but they are putting out heat and fumes,” Lyman explained, noting that this fire was a new experience for many of the emergency crews involved.
The closure caused significant traffic disruptions, with eastbound trucks being rerouted at the Applegate exit and other motorists being held at the Colfax exit. Eastbound trucks were advised to take Highway 49 to Highway 20 as an alternative route.
Westbound traffic was stopped at the Nevada state line due to the incident.
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