A hazmat situation shut down the southbound 5 Freeway in Sylmar, Los Angeles, on Saturday evening after a semi truck car hauler loaded with Teslas caught fire.
What happened: The fire started about 5:35 p.m. on August 16. The truck driver managed to pull over and get out safely while the cab and trailer burned alongside the truck lane.
- Toxic smoke from the burning lithium ion batteries forced authorities to close all southbound lanes.
- At least 6 out of 8 Teslas on the trailer were destroyed.
- Traffic was moved to the northbound 14 Freeway while firefighters got things under control.
The response: Firefighters from both city and county tackled the blaze for hours, but heavy traffic slowed their progress. They finally declared the fire out by 9:30 p.m., according to ABC7 Los Angeles.
The aftermath: It took another 2 to 3 hours to clear the burned cars and clean up the scene. No injuries were reported, and the cab of the big rig was mostly burned down to just the frame and wheels.