I-15 reopens after lithium battery truck fire causes major delays

UPDATE - Sunday at 10: 45 a.m. - California Highway Patrol says all lanes of Interstate 15 are now open.

Crews worked non-stop through the night to carefully move the hazardous materials container a safe distance away from the roadway.

UPDATE - Saturday at 9:42 p.m. — CHP - Barstow provided this update on Facebook:
"Interstate 15 northbound at Harvard Road remains closed.

Southbound lanes are open.

Emergency personnel and hazardous materials specialists are on scene monitoring and assessing the hazardous materials. Attempts have been made to move the container, but the efforts have been unsuccessful. The crews have been working tirelessly to stabilize the materials and ensure safe passage for all traveling. I-15 northbound remains closed for an unknown duration."

UPDATE, Saturday at 8:55 p.m. — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is weighing in on the situation. He posted an update on X.

UPDATE, Saturday at 8:16 p.m. — The California Governor's Officer of Emergency Services released a statement on X about the situation on I-15 in San Bernardino County.

UPDATE, Saturday at 6:52 p.m. — Gov. Joe Lombardo, R-Nev., released a statement on X.

In it, he included photos of a Facebook post from CHP - Barstow, which we have embedded below.

UPDATE, Saturday at 11:11 a.m. — San Bernardino County Fire has released an update about the truck fire on I-15 between Barstow and Baker, Calif. that has been burning since Friday morning. Northbound I-15 lanes have been closed since then.

San Bernardino County Fire:
"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.

Next Steps: County Fire is working with partner agencies and resources to call for additional heavy equipment for the removal of the container, an effort that will continue throughout the day. The container's weight requires specialized equipment for successful removal. Constant reevaluation will occur throughout the day. This is a fluid and dynamic situation, and we will continually assess public safety needs. Further updates will be provided through the responsible agencies.

Safety Tips: Remember to prepare for travel, especially during the current elevated temperatures. - Provide plenty of water and supplies in your vehicle. - Plan your route accordingly and ensure you have enough supplies, fuel, and charge in your vehicle. - Use caution with any electronic routing systems that may suggest alternate routes, especially those that include dirt roads. Often, these areas are unimproved trails and roads, which can lead to vehicles getting stuck, a significant problem experienced throughout the day yesterday. For more information related to road closures and diversions, refer to the CHP Barstow office social media feeds.

UPDATE, Friday at 10:38 p.m. — Emergency crews are still working to extinguish the flames, which have been burning for hours.

They are also still working on getting the hazardous material — including lithium-ion batteries — away from the freeway.

UPDATE, Friday at 3:02 p.m. — The California Highway Patrol has released more information about a truck fire that shut down I-15 near Baker, Calif. Friday morning.

Southbound lanes are now back open. Northbound lanes are still shut down for an "undetermined amount of time."

The semi-truck was hauling an oversized load when it turned over just before 6 a.m. for reasons police have yet to determine.

The trailer was hauling six lithium-ion batteries, which caught fire causing potential inhalation problems for passing motorists. The interstate was shut down between 8:30 and 9 a.m. in both directions. A 1/3 mile safety perimeter was established.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Interstate 15 is shut down near Baker, Calif. after a semi-truck overturned and caught fire Friday afternoon.

The truck is leaking oil and fuel and is carrying lithium-ion batteries, prompting the shutdown.

Fire crews with San Bernardino Fire say the contents of the burning truck are making it difficult to fight the flames. Hazmat is in route and a plan is being developed to fight the fire.

Safety distances established by crews required a shutdown of both northbound and southbound lanes.

San Bernardino Fire

Fire crews also requested more water and heavy equipment to be brought to the scene.