Batteries on the interstate might not seem like a big deal. Crews can easily clean them up, right? Well, a semi-truck flipped in California, covering the pavement with Tesla batteries and creating dangerous fire risks. 

Semi-truck spills load of Tesla batteries on I-80 

A semi-truck driver lost control of his rig and flipped over on westbound I-80, near Hirschadale Road, by the Nevada border. Police officers immediately responded to the scene after receiving reports of a tractor-trailer on its side. 

But when they arrived, things got a bit more complicated. The truck was carrying a load of Tesla batteries that spilled out across the pavement. 

According to SFIST, officers shared that luckily, no one was injured. But they also warned drivers that the cleanup will take a while. 

One police officer explained that Tesla batteries aren’t something you can just sweep up and call it a day. Expect delays, be patient, and maybe take the time to practice zen breathing. 

About a year ago, a similar accident occurred, and the batteries caught on fire. The lithium-ion battery fire caused toxic fumes. Firefighters had to use 50,000 gallons of water to cool the burning batteries as they waited for them to burn out. 

Because the batteries have a high energy density, they present danger when damaged or improperly handled. They can overheat and cause a thermal runaway or chain reaction of fires and explosions. 

Specialized handling is required to clean up the batteries, and the emergency response involves sending a team of investigators to look for fire risks related to the batteries. But things could have been much worse.