A big rig car-carrier loaded with eight Teslas caught fire on the Golden State (5) Freeway in Sylmar Saturday, resulting in toxic smoke that shut down southbound lanes.
The fire was reported at 5:35 p.m. Saturday on the southbound Golden State Freeway just north of Balboa Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The transport with its burning load of battery-equipped cars was off to the side of the truck lane but the toxic smoke from the fire made it necessary to shut down all of the southbound lanes, including the truck lane, according to the CHP. Traffic was rerouted to the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway.
Traffic on the transition from the southbound Antelope Valley Freeway was diverted to the northbound Golden State Freeway, according to the CHP. Efforts were underway to reopen the Golden State Freeway lanes but the truck lane would remain closed while firefighters continued to put out the flames and deal with hazardous runoff.
Additional firefighters from Los Angeles city and county fire departments were slowed by the freeway traffic, Lantz said.
The cab of the tractor became engulfed in flames but the driver got out, the CHP announced. The initial cause of the fire was not yet known.
Video from the scene showed that there were eight cars on the trailer and that six of them were burned. The semi-tractor appeared to be only a frame, engine and wheels. The cars closest to the truck were the most severely damaged.
Caltrans was on the scene to help remove the two unburned cars from the trailer, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Lyndsey Lantz.
No injuries were initially reported, Lantz said. “Motorists are encouraged to keep well clear of the smoke.”
The driver was asked to contact his employer to see if they could get a cleanup crew to the scene or Caltrans would have to handle the cleanup, the CHP reported.