3 ms·

Tesla semi-truck fire prompts I80 closure in CA as hazmat response halts traffic

21 points by heavyset_go 2y ago

mrinfinitiesx 2y ago
Yeah, that's the thing about car ....truck batteries of that size/caliber.. They stay on fire for over days even with a firehose watering them down. Now imagine that shit in a tunnel in the ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5vDWhMHTwE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5vDWhMHTwE
- a3n 2y ago
  Tunnels are often labeled "no hazmat." I wonder if electric semis, or even cars, should be kept out of tunnels.
  - throwaway657656 2y ago
    Why the downvotes? Today I tried to return a $200 portable Li-ion power station purchased from Amazon: "Call FedEx to schedule a Ground PRP Hazmat pickup (do NOT take it to a FedEx drop-off location). Hazmat labels and pickup are safety measures for batteries." Li-Ion batteries are classified as hazmat in some contexts.
    - NikkiA 2y ago
      TBF LiFePo are used more for EVs, at least the ones that aren't off-brand, and LiFePo isn't nearly as hazardous as generic 'Li-Ion' which usually means LiCoO
  - John23832 2y ago
    Elon literally wanted to put teslas in a 1 car wide tunnel.
- deisteve 2y ago
  in BC almost all Teslas are written off as rebuilt titles drastically increaseing insurance premiums even for the slightest damage due to its battery its flooded with everybody wanting to look cool and the price point makes it seductively cheap to own until the battery needs to go or your insurance thinks it will soon used Teslas are filling up the lots with owners who are happy to get some of their money back
mensetmanusman 2y ago
ICE passenger vehicles have 10x the rate of fires as EVs, but the public perception is flipped (eg the general public has priors 2 orders of magnitude off). Will semi’s follow the 1/10 ratio as well?
- Hatrix 2y ago
  ICE fires are usually extinguished quickly. This single Tesla truck fire shutdown a major highway all day.
  - jerlam 2y ago
    Also the number of Tesla Semis built is a very small amount, around 200.
  - blowsand 2y ago
    The frequent diesel semi fires have created far more delays and done far more damage to California roadways and overpasses. Each fire is unique in what they emit, how long they burn, and how long clearance takes. Fuel fires can have much larger and more difficult runoff containment challenges. https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/semi-truck-carrying-meat-incinerated-by-massive-fire-on-los-angeles-highway/amp/ https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/semi-truck-carrying-meat-inciner... https://kesq.com/cnn-regional/2023/08/02/semi-truck-hauling-40k-pounds-of-chocolate-catches-fire-on-california-highway/ https://kesq.com/cnn-regional/2023/08/02/semi-truck-hauling-... https://bakersfieldnow.com/amp/newsletter-daily/thousands-stranded-for-hours-in-grapevine-traffic-nightmare-following-semi-truck-fire https://bakersfieldnow.com/amp/newsletter-daily/thousands-st... https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/northbound-101-closed-south-of-paso-robles-due-to-overnight-crash https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/northbound-101-closed-s... https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/2007/04/30/california-highway-interchange-collapses-after/52909400007/ https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/2007... https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-11/10-freeway-shut-down-indefinitely-in-downtown-los-angeles-following-fire https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-11/10-freew...
    - Hatrix 2y ago

21 points by heavyset_go 2y ago

Yeah, that's the thing about car ....truck batteries of that size/caliber.. They stay on fire for over days even with a firehose watering them down. Now imagine that shit in a tunnel in the ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5vDWhMHTwE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5vDWhMHTwE

a3n 2y ago
Tunnels are often labeled "no hazmat." I wonder if electric semis, or even cars, should be kept out of tunnels.
- throwaway657656 2y ago
  Why the downvotes? Today I tried to return a $200 portable Li-ion power station purchased from Amazon: "Call FedEx to schedule a Ground PRP Hazmat pickup (do NOT take it to a FedEx drop-off location). Hazmat labels and pickup are safety measures for batteries." Li-Ion batteries are classified as hazmat in some contexts.
  - NikkiA 2y ago
    TBF LiFePo are used more for EVs, at least the ones that aren't off-brand, and LiFePo isn't nearly as hazardous as generic 'Li-Ion' which usually means LiCoO
- John23832 2y ago
  Elon literally wanted to put teslas in a 1 car wide tunnel.
deisteve 2y ago
in BC almost all Teslas are written off as rebuilt titles drastically increaseing insurance premiums even for the slightest damage due to its battery its flooded with everybody wanting to look cool and the price point makes it seductively cheap to own until the battery needs to go or your insurance thinks it will soon used Teslas are filling up the lots with owners who are happy to get some of their money back

mensetmanusman 2y ago

ICE passenger vehicles have 10x the rate of fires as EVs, but the public perception is flipped (eg the general public has priors 2 orders of magnitude off). Will semi’s follow the 1/10 ratio as well?

Hatrix 2y ago
ICE fires are usually extinguished quickly. This single Tesla truck fire shutdown a major highway all day.
- jerlam 2y ago
  Also the number of Tesla Semis built is a very small amount, around 200.
- blowsand 2y ago
  The frequent diesel semi fires have created far more delays and done far more damage to California roadways and overpasses. Each fire is unique in what they emit, how long they burn, and how long clearance takes. Fuel fires can have much larger and more difficult runoff containment challenges. https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/semi-truck-carrying-meat-incinerated-by-massive-fire-on-los-angeles-highway/amp/ https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/semi-truck-carrying-meat-inciner... https://kesq.com/cnn-regional/2023/08/02/semi-truck-hauling-40k-pounds-of-chocolate-catches-fire-on-california-highway/ https://kesq.com/cnn-regional/2023/08/02/semi-truck-hauling-... https://bakersfieldnow.com/amp/newsletter-daily/thousands-stranded-for-hours-in-grapevine-traffic-nightmare-following-semi-truck-fire https://bakersfieldnow.com/amp/newsletter-daily/thousands-st... https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/northbound-101-closed-south-of-paso-robles-due-to-overnight-crash https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/northbound-101-closed-s... https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/2007/04/30/california-highway-interchange-collapses-after/52909400007/ https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/nation-world/2007... https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-11/10-freeway-shut-down-indefinitely-in-downtown-los-angeles-following-fire https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-11/10-freew...
  - Hatrix 2y ago