By The New York Times (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-27 06:54:24 | Updated at 2024-09-30 05:27:17
2 days ago
The fire was expected to burn for as long as 48 hours, forcing the authorities to close part of a highway where a truck carrying the batteries had overturned.
Sept. 27, 2024, 2:50 a.m. ET
A tractor-trailer carrying large lithium-ion batteries overturned on a highway in Los Angeles on Thursday, sparking a fire, closing part of a freeway and terminals at the Port of Los Angeles, and causing traffic backups.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement Thursday night that the fire was expected to burn for at least another 24 to 48 hours and that a roughly seven-mile stretch of California State Route 47, from the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Long Beach, would be closed in that period.
The crash in the San Pedro neighborhood on Thursday morning did not result in any injuries, but fire crews were taking precautions to block hazardous materials from potentially spreading from the batteries, one of which exploded, the department said.
The Port of Los Angeles, the busiest port in the Western Hemisphere, said that several terminals would be closed on Friday.
Details about what led to the rollover were not immediately available, and the amount of batteries in the truck’s trailer was unknown, according to the fire department.
This is a developing story.
John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news. More about John Yoon
