Tesla Semi crashes off-side I-80, battery fire, toxic fumes, 6+ hour closure section I-80.

[CyberGus]

Fire departments are already coming up with solutions. For instance, many now carry tools that let them prop up a vehicle on its side to better access the HV pack with water.

Also, there is pack design. The Cybertruck pack has significant buffer area on the sides to prevent intrusion due to side-impact. The pack bottom is made of aluminum, which melts below the temperature of thermal runway; burning cells will drop out, slowing the spread and easing access to water.

As already pointed out, the cells are sealed cans that do not require an oxygen source. They'd happily burn underwater.

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[CyberGus]

What they really need is liquid nitrogen

 

[firsttruck]

Putting out lithium ion batteries with plain water in a short time
A presentation at a Swedish Fire Officers Associations conference. It is a presentation about a Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency project where we demonstrated that it is possible to put out lithium ion batteries in battery packs by flowing water into the packs. The results will be the input to create a method that will make it possible to deal with EV fires in a safe and efficient way.
Mar 19, 2023
UtkikenRescue

 

[Cyber Man]

I’m no battery expert, but I think some creative solutions are needed to extinguish the fire. Throwing some wild ideas -
1. Separating out the battery pack and dropping them to the ground is the most important thing to do. As CyberGus mentioned, CT has enabled this. They have also enabled 2” airspace for the hot fumes to escape. If this can be improved to have a fire blanket wrap around the batter pack, it’ll at least contain the fire and toxic fumes. Batteries don’t need oxygen and can burn underwater as well. The best option is to contain fire and protect other things from catching fire. That’s where fire blanket will be of great use. Some type of self deployable fire blanket, similar to airbag technology, around the battery pack might help. The blanket can be cushioned on both sides of the battery pack, and just like an airbag, it should get deployed and seal the pack when fire is detected.
2. Find some innovating mechanism to discharge the batteries very quickly. Charged batteries burn hot; discharged batteries cause less damage. If scientists can figure out how to discharge the batteries quickly when fire is detected, we can prevent substantial damage. This is easier said than done. Shorting the batteries will make things worst. Probably have some emergency drain probes that can be plugged into a device that can suck the juice up quickly without exploding the batteries? ?‍
3. Have some micro sprinkler systems installed by the OEMs. If firefighters can connect to an inlet hose to circulate high pressure water throughout the micro sprinklers, fire can be extinguished far more quickly than just hosing the entire vehicle with gallons of water.

I completely agree that using traditional water hoses will not cut it. Some innovative ideas are needed to prevent fire hazard in EVs. I know two people in my family who don’t want to switch to EVs because of fire risk. No amount of statistics will sway their mind.

 

[CyberT1]

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Toxic fumes from Tesla EV semi fire shut down I-80 in Sierra. Batteries smoldered for hours
By Daniel Hunt Updated
August 19, 2024 2:15 PM
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article291178340.html

.....
The crash occurred around 3:15 a.m. near Emigrant Gap where an electric vehicle traveling eastbound at the Laing Road offramp crashed onto the right shoulder and into trees, according to the California Highway Patrol’s incident log.

Officer Jason Lyman, a spokesman for the CHP’s Gold Run office, said that only one vehicle was involved and that the ** driver was not injured **.

.....
authorities had to create a half-mile buffer zone around the fire to keep “toxic” fumes from injuring bystanders and motorists. Firefighters from the Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit were battling the flames using masks and breathing apparatus.

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‘Toxic fumes’ spewing from burning Tesla Semi’s batteries on I-80.
A Tesla Semi was reportedly traveling on eastbound I-80 when it went off the interstate and crashed into a wooded area.
The crash was reported around 3:15 a.m. on August 19 near Emigrant Gap, east of Nyack, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Published: August 19, 2024
CDL-Life
By Ashley
https://cdllife.com/2024/toxic-fumes-spewing-from-burning-tesla-semis-batteries-on-i-80/

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Interstate 80 shut down in the Sierra after Tesla big rig crash, fire
A Tesla big rig fire has shut down part of Interstate 80 in both directions in Placer County. Here is our team coverage.
Aug 19, 2024
KCRA 3

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So how many ICE Trucks Crashed?

 

[mark555055c]

"Firefighters from the Cal Fire Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit were battling the flames using masks and breathing apparatus. "

Yeah, as opposed to a diesel powered semi fire where firefighters would wear no headgear and stand in the smoke breathing the glorious health promoting chemicals produced by 150 gallons of burning diesel fuel, and oil.

 

[CapheDa]

To discharge the batteries quickly they could attach a fishing boat to it.

 

[gadgetmerc]

As someone that was a volunteer firefighter for a few years and (more relevant to this subject) a avid RC quad and airplane pilot. Lipo fires burn much faster and hotter than lion cells. Several RC pilots a year lose their houses due to unattended lipo charging. When a lipo combusts the rule of thumb to to somehow toss it outside and throw a 40 lb bag of sand on it. The sand absorbs the high temps and even absorbs most of the toxic fumes. The high temp toxic gases will cool down and deposit in the sand. Sometimes you'll even find a ball of glass around the part that was burning. Very scary while also kinda cool.

My question, why can't we have a loader push 4-5 trucks of sand on top of the lion fire? Put an SCBA on the truck driver and loader operator. Most firemen are able to operate simple heavy equipment anyways. You can then collect the sand and have it properly disposed of via a hazmat facility.

 

[REM]

My question, why can't we have a loader push 4-5 trucks of sand on top of the lion fire? Put an SCBA on the truck driver and loader operator. Most firemen are able to operate simple heavy equipment anyways. You can then collect the sand and have it properly disposed of via a hazmat facility.

No need for SCBA when you can use this to deploy the sand:

 

[HaulingAss]

For the record, all combustion fumes are "toxic". Of course, some are more toxic than others.

Just curious, have you seen any credible evidence that the smoke from a battery fire is any more toxic than the smoke from an ICE fire?

I haven't, seems like it's just a bunch of over-reactive hype to keep people 1/2 mile away.

My understanding that the burning rubber, plastics and foam are the most toxic emissions of any vehicle fire. All petroleum products. And did anyone notice how the media called it a cloud of "toxic" smoke, but they almost never bother to say that about the smoke from an ICE vehicle fire, because all smoke is toxic, even wood smoke. People die from smoke inhalation all the time.

This is a silly over-reaction just because it's an EV. The media sucks.

 

[firsttruck]

I-80 was closed for over 12 hours.

Remains of Tesla Semi.

Supposedly Tesla Semi drove off side of road and hit a tree.

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I-80 reopens after Tesla Semi fire shuts down California freeway near Lake Tahoe
An electric big rig caught fire early Monday morning after crashing into the trees on eastbound Interstate 80 near the offramp for Laing Road, California Highway Patrol logs show.
Aug 20, 2024
KCRA 3

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[gadgetmerc]

No need for SCBA when you can use this to deploy the sand:

Looks like a great option but not often available. The availability of a truck full of sand and a loader is hard to beat.

I could actually see a truck full of sand become a standard piece of apparatus for any FD as EVs spread. Especially if they had some sort of easy offload option like a 12' conveyor.

 

[flyinglow]

RIP to the driver.

He survived.

 

[UberNoob]

He survived.

Yea that’s what OP said, thanks

 

[Deleted member 17810]

Not all smoke is the same, in case anyone wants to dig in to a scientific comparison:

Take into account these are suvs being compared. The semi has a much larger battery pact:


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379711223000978#tbl1

Analysis of combustion gases from large-scale electric vehicle fire tests


Highlights

• •
  Large-scale fire tests of battery electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles.
• •
  The total heat release was not affected by the type of traction energy.
• •
  A higher concentration of lead was found for the conventional vehicles.
• •
  HF, Ni, Co, Li and Mn, constituted the largest difference in the combustion gases between EVs and ICEVs.
• •
  Water application inhibited the quantification of HF.

Heavy metals toxicity is a real thing that happens.

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