CALIFORNIA – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released findings from a preliminary investigation, September 12, for a Tesla semi truck that was involved in a single-vehicle crash in Placer County, California.

Fire crews used 50,000 gallons of water to put out the lithium-ion electric battery system that had caught fire.

Since electric car fires burn at higher temperatures they require more water to fight than conventional car fires.

Truck’s battery ignited after the roadway departure

The report says the vehicle – operated by a Tesla employee, was traveling east on Interstate 80 (I-80) near Emigrant Gap when the truck-tractor departed the roadway to the right while navigating a right-hand curve and uphill grade.

The vehicle struck a traffic delineator, collided with a tree about 12.5 inches in diameter, and continued down an earthen slope to rest against several trees.

Although the driver was not injured, the truck’s battery ignited after the roadway departure, resulting in a post crash fire.

California Highway Patrol (CHP), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) responded to the scene. 

Tesla sent a technical expert to the scene to assist in assessing high-voltage hazards and fire safety. 

The report says emergency responders worked to control the fire, using about 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish the flames and cool the vehicle’s batteries. 

They closed the roadway for 15 hours to ensure the batteries were at a safe temperature for vehicle recovery operations and to prevent the spread of the fire to surrounding forested areas.

Defective battery lawsuits

Tesla has faced several lawsuits claiming the battery is defective.

A federal jury in Florida found Tesla negligent in a 2018 crash that killed two teens. Batteries installed in the 2014 Model S sedan that the teen was driving, ignited after the electric car crashed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. while traveling at 116 mph.

State Farm claimed, in 2022, negligent manufacturing after a Tesla vehicle caught fire in a garage while charging which caused $1.2 million in damages to the home of a family the insurance company had to reimburse. 

NTSB says all aspects of the semi truck crash remain under investigation while they determine the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events.