The lithium-ion battery blaze closed both directions during the evening commute, though no injuries were reported and all lanes later reopened.
HAYWARD, CA — A Tesla Semi caught fire on Interstate 880 during Tuesday evening’s commute, forcing authorities to shut down both directions of the busy East Bay freeway because of concerns about hazardous smoke from the truck’s lithium-ion battery.
The fire was reported about 5:35 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the southbound lanes near the interchange with state Route 92, according to the California Highway Patrol. Within minutes, officers had closed northbound and southbound I-880 between Winton Avenue and Route 92 while firefighters worked around the burning electric truck. The driver escaped without injury, and no other vehicles were reported to have been involved.
The closure caused hours of disruption on one of the Bay Area’s major north-south routes. Northbound lanes reopened about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday, but southbound traffic remained blocked much longer as crews continued working on the battery fire and waited until the vehicle could be safely removed. Southbound lanes reopened about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, returning the freeway to full operation.
Authorities initially warned that the battery could continue burning for 15 to 18 hours. Lithium-ion battery fires can pose unusual challenges because damaged or overheated cells may generate their own heat and can reignite after flames appear to have been extinguished. The U.S. Fire Administration says such incidents can also produce hazardous gases and may require extended cooling and monitoring by emergency crews.
The CHP said the truck’s lithium-ion battery was involved in the fire. Investigators had not announced what caused the blaze as of Wednesday. Multiple reports said the driver told officers the truck caught fire while traveling on the freeway and that the driver did not know what triggered it. Authorities had not publicly identified a collision or another vehicle as a factor.
The fire brought renewed attention to the difficulty emergency crews can face when large electric commercial vehicles burn. In August 2024, another Tesla Semi caught fire after leaving Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap in Placer County and striking a tree. The National Transportation Safety Board said firefighters used about 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish that fire and cool the truck’s batteries. The highway remained closed for roughly 14 to 15 hours during that response.
Unlike the 2024 incident, authorities had not reported a crash preceding Tuesday’s Hayward fire. That distinction leaves the origin of the latest blaze among the central questions for investigators. Officials also had not released details about the condition of the truck before the fire, its operating history or whether investigators had identified a mechanical or electrical failure.
The Hayward incident unfolded during a heavily traveled period on I-880, which connects communities along the eastern side of San Francisco Bay and carries substantial passenger and commercial traffic. The decision to close both directions reflected concerns about smoke from the burning battery and the need to give firefighters enough space to manage the fire safely.
By Wednesday morning, all lanes of I-880 had reopened and officials reported no injuries. The exact cause of the Tesla Semi fire remained under investigation, and authorities had not announced additional findings about what caused the battery to ignite.
Author note: Last updated October 28, 2026.