Vincent Thomas Bridge remains closed as crews remove wrecked big rig from Port of LA road

Firefighting crews are moving a big rig that has been blocking a Terminal Island roadway in San Pedro for more than 24 hours, with a fire caused by lithium-ion batteries the truck was carrying finally extinguished, authorities said.

Meanwhile, a stretch of State Route 47 remains shut down and Caltrans officials have said there is no estimated time for its expected reopening. The Vincent Thomas Bridge, running through the Port of Los Angeles, is located near the incident and has also been closed in both directions since about noon Thursday. Crews were letting the toxic fire burn out on its own.

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).  

Firefighters and hazardous materials investigators responded to the reported truck fire near 940 North Seaside Avenue just before noon Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Flames could be seen coming from the wreckage in aerial video and the fire continued to burn Friday. 

About two hours after firefighters were called to the scene, LAFD said batteries carried by the truck were damaged, on fire and off-gassing with reports of one battery exploding. The first responders kept their distance and used hose lines for protection, according to LAFD, given the dangerous nature of the batteries when they are damaged or catch fire.   

"While these batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored," the NFPA says.

About a full day later, at 2:23 p.m. Friday, Caltrans officials said the fire was no longer burning. The wreckage blocking the roadway had led to traffic jams in the area near the Port of Los Angeles.

"The fire is out," Caltrans said. "The cargo will be moved, followed by a cleanup operation and a Caltrans inspection of the roadway to ensure safety for travelers and all road users."

Earlier, David Ortiz, a spokesman for LAFD, said the gas emitted from the fire is hazardous but eventually dissipates. 

"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," Ortiz said. "You could pour millions of gallons of water on this fire and it still might reignite again."

On Thursday evening, LAFD Capt. Adam Vangerpen explained the burn cycle of the toxic materials is unpredictable and could keep the fire burning for days. "So, even through the night, there might be some flareups. They could get 10, 15-foot flames shooting out of this so it's not safe for people to be in any direction," he said. "So that's why we closed the bridge down in both directions."

As the bridge remained closed Thursday afternoon, drivers looking to leave Terminal Island were advised by LAFD to use Ferry Street to the Southbound 47 Vincent Thomas Bridge. On Friday, around 9 a.m., CHP advised to drivers that "the best routes between San Pedro to Long Beach is by utilizing Pacific Coast Highway between I-110 and I-710, or I-405."

Earlier this year, in July, a crash involving a semi-truck carrying lithium-ion batteries led to a closure of the 15 Freeway connecting Southern California to the Las Vegas area that lasted about two days. Drivers were left stranded on the highway, some of them reporting heat-related medical emergencies in the desert area while the hazmat situation led to air quality issues.

The closure lasted so long because the fire couldn't easily be put out since it involved lithium-ion batteries, authorities said.

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. 

"We are committed to the health and safety of the ILWU workforce, employees of our member companies, and the residents in the surrounding communities," said Pacific Maritime Association President Stephen Hennessey. "We look forward to getting back to full operation only after we receive the all-clear from public safety authorities."