Container of hazardous materials catches fire, closing crucial highway connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas for over 30 hours
Officials say a section of the essential highway will remain closed for an “unknown duration” as crews monitor the air for any potential dangerous chemicals and try to move the massive trailer.
The truck lost control and overturned onto Interstate 15 near Barstow, California, around 6 a.m. Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol. The truck was carrying a flatbed trailer containing lithium-ion batteries that detached from the truck and eventually caught on fire.
“Due to the lithium-ion, water cannot be added to the fire, the batteries must burn out on their own,” the patrol said.
Both northbound and southbound lanes were initially closed due to the potential hazardous situation, but southbound lanes later reopened and northbound lanes remained closed as of Saturday evening.
Crews on scene are testing the air quality and will reopen the rest of the lanes when they deem it safe to do so, officials said.
“The primary concern is the air quality due to the hazardous materials and chemicals involved,” San Bernardino County Fire said. “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.”
Many attempts have been made to remove the 75,000-pound container carrying the hazardous material from the highway, but those efforts have been unsuccessful due to its weight, according to San Bernardino County Fire.
Drivers stuck for hours amid 100-degree heat
Charles Gallagher was one of the many drivers that got caught in traffic on the highway and called the situation a “complete mess.” Gallagher, who was headed home to Las Vegas, told CNN that what should have been a four-hour-drive home instead took 11 hours.
Gallagher and his family left Los Angeles at 3:30 p.m. Friday and ran into traffic in Barstow around 6 p.m., when they were rerouted to Interstate 40.
Eventually, after realizing traffic wasn’t going to move any time soon, the family turned around and stayed the night in Barstow. When they left early Saturday morning, they decided to take I-40 as I-15 was still closed.
“There were times that we were at a standstill for 45 minutes or more,” he said. “Many of us would get out to stretch.”
They were stuck on I-40 for seven hours before getting on Route 66 and eventually making it home to Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon, Gallagher said.
The family had stocked up on water bottles that they placed in an insulated bag and had a tank full of gas. Whenever they stopped, they put the sun shade over the front window to help keep cool inside, Gallagher added.
With temperatures well over 100 degrees in the area, fire officials handed out water to some of the stranded drivers.
“Emergency crews are currently on scene monitoring the hazmat releases as well as air quality levels,” California Highway Patrol said Saturday evening. “Once hazmat personnel have deemed the area safe, reopening of the northbound lanes will be discussed, with the goal of opening all lanes as soon as possible.”
"We were stuck on the road for hours due to the incident, as we were drivers caught in the traffic on the alternative route, Interstate 40," Charles Gallagher explained.
"Despite the efforts of crews, the 75,000-pound container that caused the closure remains a concern for us all, as they have yet to successfully remove it from the highway, according to San Bernardino County Fire."
