A Tesla Semi caught fire Tuesday evening on Interstate 880 in Hayward, California, and the California Highway Patrol closed the freeway for hours, Electrek reported, citing CHP¹.

KRON4, carrying Bay City News, said southbound lanes were fully reopened early Wednesday after the fire².

Electrek said the fire broke out about 5:35 p.m. PT in the southbound lanes near Route 92, that no other vehicles were involved, and that the driver left unhurt¹. KRON4 also put the fire at about 5:35 p.m. Tuesday near Route 92 and said no one was reported injured².

KRON4 said that by 5:45 p.m. CHP had shut both directions from Winton Avenue to Route 92 because of potential hazardous smoke, and that northbound lanes reopened at 8:40 p.m.². Electrek said CHP Hayward closed I-880 in both directions over hazardous chemical smoke and that northbound reopened Tuesday night¹.

Electrek said CHP initially warned that the battery could burn for 15 to 18 hours, and that CHP Hayward later posted that all lanes were open around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday¹. KRON4 said CHP announced southbound lanes fully accessible around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday².

KRON4, citing CHP, said the semi's lithium battery flames were difficult to extinguish². The driver told officers the truck caught fire and that they did not know why, Electrek and KRON4 reported^1,2.

The truck's operator had not been identified, Tesla had not commented, and the cause was under investigation, Electrek said¹. KRON4 said the exact cause was not confirmed².

Electrek noted an August 2024 Tesla Semi fire on Interstate 80 in California; it said the NTSB later found that truck left the road and that the battery ignited after impact¹.