California firefighters wanted to spray 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish a roadside Tesla Semi fireplace, the US Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) introduced in a preliminary report. Crews additionally used an plane to drop fireplace retardent within the “immediate area as a precautionary measure,” in keeping with the company.
The crash occurred at 3:13 AM on August 19 on the I80 freeway east of Sacramento. The tractor-trailer departed the roadway whereas navigating a curve, struck a visitors delineator and ultimately hit a tree. The driving force was unhurt however taken to hospital as a precaution.
The Tesla Semi’s massive 900kWh battery caught fireplace and reached a temperature of 1,000 levels F whereas spewing poisonous fumes. It continued to burn into the late afternoon as firefighters dowsed it with water to chill it down (Tesla despatched a technical knowledgeable to evaluate high-voltage hazards and fireplace security). It wasn’t till 7:20 PM (over 16 hours after the crash) that the freeway was reopened.
All of that caught the eye of the NTSB, which despatched a group of investigators, primarily to look at the fireplace dangers posed by massive lithium-ion battery packs. The company — which may solely make security suggestions and has no enforcement authority — stated that “all aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause.”
Given the lengthy street shutdown time, dangerously sizzling fireplace and poisonous fumes, the accident is more likely to provoke a whole lot of dialogue out and in of presidency. The NTSB concluded in 2021 that battery fires pose a danger to emergency responders and that producers’ pointers round such fires have been insufficient.