SAN PEDRO, Calif.—Much of the Port of Los Angeles was inaccessible Friday after a big rig hauling large lithium batteries overturned and caught fire, leaving the primary roadway into the area—including the Vincent Thomas Bridge—closed to traffic, and the Port of Long Beach was also affected.
The rig overturned shortly before noon Thursday in the 900 block of North Seaside Avenue. The truck rolled on its side, and its cargo caught fire.
Los Angeles Fire Department crews responded to the scene, but due to the nature of the lithium batteries, crews backed away and opted to let the fire burn itself out, noting that putting water on the blaze would have done little to actually fully douse the flames, and potentially cause more of an environmental hazard….