Fire crews Friday afternoon carefully moved a shipping container full of damaged lithium-ion batteries that had caught fire on the 47 Freeway a day earlier, shutting down the main thoroughfare connecting San Pedro to Long Beach.
Caltrans officials said the fire had finally gone out after burning for more than 24 hours, and the Los Angeles Fire Department said it had devised a plan to move the container to an open lot on Terminal Island where the batteries would not cause massive disruptions if they continued to overheat or reignited. Helicopter footage showed large tow trucks maneuvering around the smoldering container.
Firefighters planned to watch over the container at a nearby rail yard until the U.S. Coast Guard could take possession of it. After an inspection, all the closed roadways reopened Friday night, the LAFD said, bringing an end to two days of traffic headaches that disrupted port operations.
The situation began Thursday around noon when a big-rig truck carrying the large batteries overturned at the intersection of Navy Way and the 47 Freeway, also called Seaside Avenue along that stretch. The batteries were damaged and began burning inside the trucks’ shipping container, according to the LAFD.
When one of the batteries exploded it caused a chain reaction that ignited other batteries and sent flames shooting 5 or 10 feet high, an LAFD official told reporters.
Lithium-ion battery fires can take incredible amounts of water to douse, according to the LAFD. Instead of continually pouring on water and risking massive amounts of hazardous runoff, firefighters took up defense positions and began waiting for the blaze to die down — something they said could take at least 24 to 48 hours.
Traffic in both directions was shut down between the 110 and 710 freeways, leaving trucks and commuters stuck for hours Thursday afternoon.
Two terminals at the Port of Los Angeles and four terminals at the Port of Los Angeles suspended operations Friday.
“Los Angeles Port Police and senior port officials are working with responding agencies, container terminal operators, union officials and other stakeholders to ensure safety and minimize disruptions,” the Port of L.A. said in a statement.
The twin ports of L.A. and Long Beach have been in the middle of an extremely busy season as shipping ramps up before holiday shopping. A looming strike at other ports has also sent more traffic to West Coast terminals.
Authorities warned drivers to avoid the Vincent Thomas Bridge and International Gateway Bridge.
Authorities said their strategy appears to have contained the hazmat situation.
“There are no evacuations and no widespread or off-site hazard,” the LAFD said. No injuries have been reported.
City News Service contributed to this report.