Truck fire ignites traffic chaos on Interstate 15 in California

A truck carrying lithium ion batteries overturned and caught fire on Interstate 15 near Baker, Calif., on Friday morning, creating a nightmare for motorists.

A 9 p.m. post on X by the San Bernardino County Fire Department indicated progress on battling the fire that occurred after a truck overturned about 8 a.m. Friday.

Both directions of traffic were shut down for several hours before southbound lanes opened about 3 p.m. Northbound lanes remained closed until late in the evening.

Late Friday night, motorists began alternating use of the southbound lanes of I-15 to get around the fire. California Highway Patrol officers were handling the flow of traffic.

Heavy equipment and additional resources have arrived on scene, and a comprehensive plan began to address the incident, said the SBCFD.

“One of the significant challenges in this remote area is the logistics of transporting equipment, personnel, and water to the scene,” the fire department stated. “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.”

Dozers were grading a large berm next to the battery container “to facilitate its safe removal from the freeway into open land,” the post stated.

The container is estimated to weigh between 60,000 to 70,000 pounds.

No specific timetable was given by officials.

Social media posts showed miles of stopped traffic on northbound I-15 before the sun set.

The truck overturned and caught fire about 8 a.m. Friday near mile marker 113.

I-15 was closed both ways from Afton Canyon northbound near Baker to Basin Road southbound because of the fire, according to the SBCFD.

Motorists stranded

Motorists have been stranded all along I-15 and I-40, police said.

The San Bernardino County Fire Logistics Division brought supplies to the Clyde V Kane Rest Stop off the northbound 15, south of Afton Canyon Road. Water was provided for motorists who were stuck without water and experiencing other issues due to heat and vehicle mechanical problems.

“We are actively addressing the needs of motorists stuck without water and experiencing other issues,” the department posted on X. “We strongly recommend that all individuals attempting to travel northbound divert and seek alternate routes as the closure is expected to be extended due to the hazmat and suppression operations related to the truck fire.”

The county dispatched center has taken numerous calls for assistance from motorists on both Interstate 40 and I-15, the post said.

“These include individuals exhibiting medical conditions and heat-related emergencies. In response, County Fire has brought additional ambulances and paramedic fire apparatus to the area to address these calls.”

Fre officials said the primary objective was to maintain public safety, which is why the hard closure was in place.

Lithium-ion fires are particularly hazardous due to the chemicals released during off-gassing and the potential for thermal runaway, fire officials said. Thermal runaway can cause the fire to spread rapidly and emit toxic gases, making it essential to handle the situation with extreme caution.

“Our teams 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,” the late evening update stated.

Alternative routes were suggested, but drivers were warned that suggested routes by GPS may include dirt roads and trails not suitable for most vehicles.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.