I-15 Reopens After Lithium Battery Fire Trapped Drivers for Many Hours

In what some dubbed “Carmaggeddon”, motorists were stranded for as long as 10 hours in 100+ degree temperatures when a truck carrying lithium batteries caught fire.

California Highway Reopens After Lithium Battery Fire Trapped Drivers

The New York Times reports California Highway Reopens After Lithium Battery Fire Trapped Drivers

A California highway reopened early Sunday after a fire involving an overturned truck carrying lithium-ion batteries trapped drivers in 109-degree heat for hours on Friday and Saturday.

The authorities responded early Friday after the truck crashed and caught fire near Baker, Calif., in the northbound lanes of I-15, a major highway that leads travelers to Las Vegas. Both northbound and southbound lanes were later closed.

The southbound lanes reopened shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol. At 3:40 a.m. on Sunday, the California Highway Patrol said the northbound lanes had been reopened as well.

The California Highway Patrol said earlier that it had cleared the backlog of stuck vehicles on the closed highway by rerouting them to nearby I-40, which the agency described as “the only alternative” because of the location of the closure on I-15. But that caused heavy traffic on I-40.

Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in many electronic devices, including e-bikes and electric cars, contain highly flammable materials. If ignited, the batteries burn hot and are very difficult to put out.

Some on social media said they had been stopped in traffic for six hours and expressed concern about running out of gas or electric cars’ running out of charge.

Thermal Runaway

“Hazard: Lithium ion batteries involved can escalate to thermal runaway, needing massive amounts of water to extinguish.”

The above from San Bernadino County Fire.

Baker Incident

From San Bernadino County Fire (Yesterday)

Morning Update: Baker Incident The northbound lanes of the 15 Freeway near Baker remained closed overnight. To manage traffic, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) alternated the north and southbound flow on the southbound lanes. Multiple attempts were made to move the container from the freeway shoulder to open land using heavy equipment from the County Fire’s Special Operations Division, including an excavator and a dozer. Ground improvements and grading were completed in preparation for relocating the container to a safe area for long-term mitigation and cleanup. However, the container’s weight, exceeding 75,000 pounds, has made these efforts unsuccessful so far.

Current Situation: The primary concern is the air quality due to the hazardous materials and chemicals involved. Air monitoring is assessing for hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, and sulfur dioxide. These chemicals pose significant health risks at elevated levels, with hydrogen cyanide and chlorine being particularly dangerous even at low concentrations.

Traffic and Safety Measures: CHP continues to enforce a hard closure of the northbound 15 at Harvard. All travel and road closure information should be referred to the CHP Barstow office. County Fire is closely monitoring the hazmat situation and air quality in coordination with CHP and Caltrans, who have authority over freeway closures and diversion routes.

Lithium Battery Fire Sparks Traffic Mayhem Across California Desert

ZeroHedge reports Lithium Battery Fire Sparks Traffic Mayhem Across California Desert

Drivers caught in the massive traffic backup were furious. 

“A different sort of energy crisis, also caused by alternative energy (a lithium battery fire),” X user Josh Young wrote. 

The dangers of the ‘green’ energy transition are not being disclosed to the American people by radical leftists in the White House. There is limited transparency and unaccountability.

What Happens When a Bike Battery Explodes

If you are looking for more reasons to avoid EVs, add thermal runaway and hydrogen cyanide explosions to the list.

And If you get in an accident, even if there is no fire or explosion, your car will be totaled if the battery is the tiniest bit damaged.

For what?

So you can pretend you are doing something for the environment although you aren’t.