Lithium Battery Fire Halts Work at L.A., Long Beach Ports
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Several terminals at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach remained closed Sept. 27 after a tractor-trailer overturned on a vital artery for cargo and a fire among its payload of lithium batteries burned for a second day.
“The batteries have been damaged, and are on fire and off-gassing, with reports of one battery exploding,” the L.A. Fire Department said in an alert about the incident that began Sept. 26.
The accident occurred on a stretch of roadway linking the two ports, shutting several terminals through the Sept. 27 second shift. The neighboring Southern California ports make up the busiest container hub in the U.S., handling roughly a third of the nation’s seaborne imports.
As of the afternoon of Sept. 27, firefighters were working to move the container with the hazardous cargo to an open lot, where it will continue burning, the Fire Department said.
UPDATE: Vincent Thomas Bridge and Seaside Avenue have reopened and Port of Los Angeles cargo operations to resume following an incident involving an overturned truck on Terminal Island.
More Info: https://t.co/rHiDAFLYIs pic.twitter.com/ukgPdsVzQg — Port of Los Angeles (@PortofLA) September 28, 2024
At least one of the affected terminals were planning to operate the morning of Sept. 28 as planned.
No injuries were reported, according to the fire department.
The episode unfolded as dockworkers at major container ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts appear increasingly likely to go on strike when their labor contract expires Sept. 30. The backlog from a one-week work stoppage would take at least four weeks to resolve, according to analysts.
Importers have routed some of their goods to the West Coast to mitigate the risk of disruption of the East and Gulf Coast ports, and to get ahead of potential tariff increases from escalating trade conflicts. The L.A. ports have so far kept up with surging volumes, which are approaching pandemic records.
The Vincent Thomas Bridge, Ocean Boulevard and Navy Way are open once again following relocation of the container and its cargo and decontamination of the fire site. Read more. #POLB terminals have returned to normal operation – see gate hours info at https://t.co/3aDyJ4TdAn. pic.twitter.com/zPkqAM0ucn — Port of Long Beach (@portoflongbeach) September 28, 2024
For Matt Schrap, CEO of the Harbor Trucking Association, the incident showcases how fragile the supply chain can be, even when it’s running smoothly. Schrap said he’ll be watching to see what the accident investigation finds, given how quickly the number of lithium batteries moving through the ports — and over the road — is rising.
“We need to be approaching the movement of this equipment in a safe and responsible manner, even if it’s going a mile down the road,” he said. “We need to make sure that when it leaves that terminal, it is secure, it is on the right equipment, and it’s going to be reaching its destination safely.”
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