Fire engulfing crashed tractor-trailer hauling lithium batteries burns on and on at Los Angeles port

A tractor-trailer full of lithium batteries that overturned and caught fire Thursday at the Port of Los Angeles continued to burn Friday and kept several port terminals closed.

The truck overturned just before noon Thursday, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in an alert. No injuries were reported, but the batteries in the shipping container on the truck were damaged.

At least one battery exploded, and the resulting fire caused the batteries to release hazardous gases. At about 10 p.m., the fire department said that the fire was being monitored and was expected to burn for another day or two.

In addition to releasing gasses, the batteries let off oxygen as they burn, which fuels the fire. The heat from the fire increases chemical reactions in the burning batteries, which in turn produce more heat in a process known as thermal runaway.

Due to this effect, a burning lithium battery can go from 212 degrees to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit in a second, according to a 2023 article from Clemson University.

Heat in the batteries can also re-spark the material inside and restart fires after they have been initially put out. Since it takes a great amount of water to put them out for good, firefighters plan to let the battery fires take their course and burn out naturally.

"Lithium-ion batteries take copious amounts of water, so it's generally better to just let them burn. It's also better for the environment. We're concerned about water runoff getting into the drains, eventually getting into the ocean, it could create an environmental disaster," fire department Capt. Adam VanGerpen told KABC-TV.

The Port of Los Angeles said its APM, Fenix Marine, Everport and Yusen terminals remain closed.