47 Freeway reopened after firefighters move hazardous batteries and scorched big rig

The 47 Freeway and the Vincent Thomas Bridge reopened after firefighters cleared all the hazardous lithium-ion batteries that burned a big rig off the roadway Friday night. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department said crews moved the smoldering container to a rail yard near Fire Station 40 to allow crews to monitor it throughout the night and morning. 

"We anticipate transferring control of the hazardous materials incident to the US Coast Guard by noon tomorrow," firefighter Nicholas Prange wrote. 

Inspectors determined that the fire did not damage the roadway, according to LAFD. 

The roads connecting Terminal Island to the rest of Los Angeles County fully closed at about noon Thursday after a truck carrying the lithium-ion batteries crashed near 940 North Seaside Avenue. Lithium-ion batteries can be highly flammable and even prone to explosions, making fires they cause difficult to safely extinguish, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).  

The National Fire Sprinkler Association claims that these batteries could burn for hours or sometimes days. Firefighters opted to allow the hazardous material to burn itself out. 

"We don't feel that anyone more than 300 feet away is going to be impacted or affected. Putting water on this fire and trying to extinguish it would create a bigger hazmat problem, runoff, and a bigger cleanup issue," firefighter David Ortiz said. "You could pour millions of gallons of water on this fire and it still might reignite again."  

The closure significantly affected operations at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, causing some terminals to halt all labor for Thursday and Friday. 

"My office has been in touch with Port of Los Angeles leadership and Caltrans officials regarding the impact of the closure on Port functions as well as traffic detours," Mayor Karen Bass said on Thursday. "Safety, as always, is our top priority."