Drivers in the US endured hours of gridlock in scorching 109-degree warmth on a California freeway Saturday, as emergency crews struggled to extinguish a cussed hearth involving a truck carrying lithium ion batteries. The truck had overturned Friday, inflicting a large visitors snarl on Interstate 15, a key path to Las Vegas.
Emergency providers had been alerted at roughly 6:30 am native time on Friday in regards to the crash close to Baker, California.By 8:30 am, authorities had shut down the northbound lanes, and the southbound lanes adopted at 9 am Although southbound visitors resumed round 2:30 pm Friday, the northbound lanes remained closed by way of Saturday night.
“The backlog of caught automobiles on the closed freeway has been cleared by rerouting them to I-40,” reported the California Freeway Patrol. This reroute, nevertheless, resulted in “extraordinarily heavy” visitors on I-40, the one viable various because of the closure’s location on I-15.
Efforts to take away the truck’s container from the freeway shoulder had been hampered by its weight, which exceeded 75,000 kilos, in keeping with the San Bernardino County Fireplace Safety District. “A number of makes an attempt to maneuver the container to open land utilizing heavy gear have been unsuccessful thus far,” the hearth district said on social media.
The hearth district additionally monitored air high quality resulting from hazardous supplies and chemical substances concerned within the hearth. “Emergency responders had been checking for hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, and sulfur dioxide,” the district added. These chemical substances pose vital well being dangers, particularly hydrogen cyanide and chlorine, that are harmful even at low concentrations.
Lithium ion batteries, prevalent in digital units comparable to e-bikes and electrical vehicles, are notoriously flammable. As soon as ignited, these batteries burn intensely and are difficult to extinguish. “Lithium ion battery fires can escalate to thermal runaway, needing large quantities of water to extinguish,” the hearth district famous.
Movies posted on social media confirmed lengthy strains of automobiles at a whole cease, as annoyed drivers shared their ordeal. Some reported being caught for so long as six hours, worrying about operating out of gasoline or their electrical vehicles shedding cost.
“The closure of the northbound facet was moved additional south,” the California Freeway Patrol defined in an e-mail, permitting motorists to make use of alternate routes. Nonetheless, the rerouting did little to ease the frustration of these trapped within the visitors jam.
Saturday’s blistering warmth added to the distress, with temperatures in Baker hovering into the triple digits. The hearth district suggested vacationers to hold ample water and guarantee they’ve sufficient provides, gas, and cost of their automobiles to face up to such emergencies.
As of 5 pm Saturday, the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 remained closed, with no clear estimate of when regular visitors stream would resume. Authorities proceed to work tirelessly to resolve the scenario and make sure the security of all motorists.
Emergency providers had been alerted at roughly 6:30 am native time on Friday in regards to the crash close to Baker, California.By 8:30 am, authorities had shut down the northbound lanes, and the southbound lanes adopted at 9 am Although southbound visitors resumed round 2:30 pm Friday, the northbound lanes remained closed by way of Saturday night.
“The backlog of caught automobiles on the closed freeway has been cleared by rerouting them to I-40,” reported the California Freeway Patrol. This reroute, nevertheless, resulted in “extraordinarily heavy” visitors on I-40, the one viable various because of the closure’s location on I-15.
Efforts to take away the truck’s container from the freeway shoulder had been hampered by its weight, which exceeded 75,000 kilos, in keeping with the San Bernardino County Fireplace Safety District. “A number of makes an attempt to maneuver the container to open land utilizing heavy gear have been unsuccessful thus far,” the hearth district said on social media.
The hearth district additionally monitored air high quality resulting from hazardous supplies and chemical substances concerned within the hearth. “Emergency responders had been checking for hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, and sulfur dioxide,” the district added. These chemical substances pose vital well being dangers, particularly hydrogen cyanide and chlorine, that are harmful even at low concentrations.
Lithium ion batteries, prevalent in digital units comparable to e-bikes and electrical vehicles, are notoriously flammable. As soon as ignited, these batteries burn intensely and are difficult to extinguish. “Lithium ion battery fires can escalate to thermal runaway, needing large quantities of water to extinguish,” the hearth district famous.
Movies posted on social media confirmed lengthy strains of automobiles at a whole cease, as annoyed drivers shared their ordeal. Some reported being caught for so long as six hours, worrying about operating out of gasoline or their electrical vehicles shedding cost.
“The closure of the northbound facet was moved additional south,” the California Freeway Patrol defined in an e-mail, permitting motorists to make use of alternate routes. Nonetheless, the rerouting did little to ease the frustration of these trapped within the visitors jam.
Saturday’s blistering warmth added to the distress, with temperatures in Baker hovering into the triple digits. The hearth district suggested vacationers to hold ample water and guarantee they’ve sufficient provides, gas, and cost of their automobiles to face up to such emergencies.
As of 5 pm Saturday, the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 remained closed, with no clear estimate of when regular visitors stream would resume. Authorities proceed to work tirelessly to resolve the scenario and make sure the security of all motorists.
