Tesla Semi bursts into flames without a crash and shuts California interstate

A Tesla Semi caught fire on Interstate 880 in Hayward, California, on Tuesday evening despite not being involved in a collision. The driver escaped uninjured, but the California Highway Patrol shut down traffic in both directions around 5:35 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. over concerns about hazardous chemical smoke from the burning lithium-ion battery. While northbound lanes reopened later that night, the southbound lanes were blocked for about 10 hours before all lanes resumed service at around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. [1][2]

Emergency crews sprayed foam around the burned tractor, which pulled a charred Premier Trailer Leasing trailer. The driver told officers they did not know why the fire started, and the exact cause remains under investigation. While Tesla has not commented on the event, its guidance for emergency responders notes that battery fires risk reignition and typically require thousands of gallons of water applied directly to the enclosure to extinguish. [1][2]

The incident marks the second time a Tesla Semi fire has shut down a California highway, following an August 2024 crash on Interstate 80 where putting out the flames required about 50,000 gallons of water. The blaze comes at a delicate time for Tesla, which only recently began volume production of the Semi in Nevada and secured large orders from companies including WattEV. [1][2]