Tesla Semi battery fire closes I-880 in California

A Tesla Semi caught fire on Tuesday evening, 27 October (local time), in the southbound lanes of Interstate 880 near Route 92 in Hayward, in California's East Bay. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the truck's lithium-ion battery was burning. The driver got out safely.

What happened

• Time: the fire started at about 5:35pm, according to the CHP as reported by ABC7. The San Francisco Chronicle gives about 5:45pm.
• Closure: by about 5:45pm the CHP had closed both directions between Winton Avenue and Route 92 "due to the potential risk of hazardous chemical smoke". The northbound lanes reopened at about 8:40pm.
• Duration: at 7:45pm the CHP said the battery fire was expected to burn for 15 to 18 hours, and that the southbound lanes would stay closed until it was out (reported by ABC7).
• Injuries: none reported, and no other vehicles were involved.
• Cause: unknown. The driver told the CHP the truck simply caught fire, and the cause is under investigation.

A local resident who filmed the aftermath said there was a shelter-in-place order near his home. We couldn't confirm that order with the CHP or local officials. His video shows very little left of the truck.

Why truck battery fires take so long

Damaged lithium-ion cells can keep producing heat and reignite after the flames seem to be out. That's why crews often let a large pack burn under control and keep cooling it before the vehicle can be moved. After a 2024 crash and fire involving a Tesla Semi on Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap, firefighters used about 50,000 gallons of water (roughly 190,000 litres) before the truck could be recovered, according to federal investigators cited by the Chronicle.

The Semi recently entered volume production at Tesla's Nevada factory. For background, read Tesla Semi enters volume production in Nevada. Tesla hasn't announced the Semi for Australia.