On the afternoon of September 26th (Thursday) local time, a container trailer containing lithium batteries overturned near San Pedro in Los Angeles and caught fire!
The Los Angeles Fire Department stated that upon arrival at the scene, firefighters found a overturned trailer emitting thick smoke and reported that there were batteries inside the vehicle. The first person to arrive immediately manages traffic to protect the public. Afterwards, an explosion occurred inside the container, causing one side of the container to explode and burn for several hours.
The accident resulted in the closure of a major road leading to the port (Highway 47) and the closure of some terminals, including APM Terminals, Fenix Marine, Everport, and Yusen Terminals Tra Pac, West Basin Container Terminal, and World Cruise Center continue to operate comprehensively. Highway 47 is closed in both directions, making it impossible to access Highway 710 heading south and the Vincent Thomas Bridge near the Port of Los Angeles.
This has had a certain impact on the normal operation of the Port of Los Angeles. Since the beginning of this year, the cargo volume at the Port of Los Angeles has surged, and the terminal utilization rate is relatively high. The Port of Los Angeles previously reported a throughput of nearly 960600 TEUs in August, an increase of 16% compared to the same period last year. This is the busiest month for the port except during the epidemic period.
According to an update from the Port of Los Angeles on the 28th, the accident site has been cleared and roads including the Vincent Thomas Bridge and Seaside Boulevard have been reopened. Multiple institutions successfully transferred vehicles and their cargo to a safe area. The Los Angeles port terminal, which was closed due to an accident, safely resumed full operation on Saturday (local time).
Long Beach Port also stated that the terminal is no longer affected by the incident. Long Beach Port will continue to coordinate and support the Los Angeles Fire Department in its final handling of the accident.
In recent times, there have been numerous incidents of lithium battery fires in ports, and the transportation safety of lithium batteries has frequently attracted attention. A few days ago, a container containing lithium-ion batteries caught fire at the Port of Montreal in Canada, triggering temporary stay at home orders for nearby residents.
Source: SouHang Network
