Hayward, California: Tesla Semi Fire Shuts I-880 in Both Directions and Closes Southbound Lanes for About 10 Hours

A Tesla Semi caught fire on its own in the southbound lanes of Interstate 880 in Hayward, California on Tuesday evening, October 27, and the battery fire shut one of the East Bay's main freight freeways for hours. The California Highway Patrol closed the freeway in both directions because of the risk from hazardous chemical smoke. No crash took place, no other vehicle was involved, and the driver got out unhurt.

The fire broke out at about 5:35 p.m. in the southbound lanes just north of Highway 92, according to the CHP. Within about ten minutes, officers had closed I-880 in both directions between Winton Avenue and Highway 92. CHP Officer Rolando Guzman said the closure was ordered "due to the potential risk of hazardous chemical smoke."

A battery fire crews expected to burn all night

The truck's lithium ion battery was burning, and that kind of fire is hard to put out and gives off dangerous fumes. At 7:45 p.m. the CHP said it expected the fire to burn for 15 to 18 hours, and that the southbound lanes would stay closed until it was fully out. The California Department of Transportation was sent to set up a hard closure, and southbound drivers were diverted off the freeway at Winton Avenue.

The driver told officers the truck had simply caught fire and that they did not know why. Photos posted by the CHP show firefighters laying foam around the burned out tractor, with the front of the box trailer behind it charred. Drone footage showed long lines of stalled vehicles in both directions, and the CHP told drivers to expect extreme delays and use other routes.

Reopened hours ahead of the warning

Northbound lanes reopened at about 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday. The southbound side took much longer, but crews beat the overnight estimate. CHP Hayward posted that all lanes were open at about 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, roughly ten hours after the fire started.

I-880 is one of the main freight corridors on the east side of San Francisco Bay, linking the Port of Oakland with San Jose, so an evening closure in both directions backed up truck and commuter traffic across the East Bay. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation. The truck's operator has not been identified, and Tesla, which does not have a press office, has not commented.