Truck Carrying Lithium Batteries, Which Power Electric Vehicles, Catches Fire and Shuts Down Major California Highway for Days (VIDEO)

This is the future that potentially awaits us if Kamala Harris manages to seize power in November.

Fox 5 Vegas reported that I-15 closed near Baker, California, in both directions after a semi-truck carrying lithium batteries, which power electric vehicles, caught fire Friday morning. According to the California Highway Patrol, the San Bernardino County Fire Department (SBFD) responded to the fire and fuel spill.

The I-15 is a major highway connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The highway shut down Friday morning and did not open again until Sunday.

According to Fox 5 Vegas, firefighters decided to implement a “hard closure” to establish a safe distance from the fuel and oil along the roadway, but suppression efforts were complicated because of what the truck was carrying. The SBFD noted on X that lithium battery fires are challenging to combat and extinguish.

Just after 10 a.m. on Saturday, the SBFD stated on X that several attempts had been made to move the truck off the highway shoulder with heavy machinery without success.

“However, the container’s weight, exceeding 75,000 pounds, has made these efforts unsuccessful so far,” it said.

Even worse, crews had to deal with the situation in extreme heat. Temperatures in Baker Friday reached 110 degrees Friday and 111 Saturday afternoon according to Fox 11 Los Angeles.

Drivers were trapped in their vehicles for hours, and many started running out of gas and water due to the raging fire.

WATCH:

A crisis situation is unfolding in the California desert. Thousands of people headed to Las Vegas have been stuck on the I-40 for hours, running out of gas and water. This is all due to the lithium battery truck fire that closed down I-15 yesterday. pic.twitter.com/PnoQRzd4mX

— Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally) July 27, 2024

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg claimed he was monitoring the situation and told drivers to follow instructions from state and local officials.

I am in touch with FHWA personnel responding to the I-40 backup and I-15 closure in Nevada. Crews are onsite to provide water and fuel for drivers. Please follow detour guidance from state and local officials.

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 28, 2024

Around 3 p.m. Friday, fire officials said the California Highway Patrol opened southbound I-15 lanes, but the Northbound freeway remained closed before reopening Sunday morning.

As the Gateway Pundit has reported, electric vehicles powered by lithium batteries tend to cause massive fires at a greater rate than gas-powered cars. In fact, Amazon’s EV vans keep catching on fire to the puzzlement of company executives.

Yet Democrats insist on eliminating gas-powered vehicles to force us all to drive electric to supposedly combat “climate change.”

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