UPDATE: Crews work over 16 hours to clear hazardous I-40 crash
FROM HENDERSON COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT:
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Incident Report – I-40 Lithium-Ion Battery Crash
Date: Thursday
Time of First Dispatch: 2:54 PM
Location: I-40 Eastbound, Mile Markers 118 – 118.8
At approximately 2:54 PM Thursday afternoon, District 3 was dispatched to a reported passenger vehicle fire at mile marker 118 on I-40 Eastbound. While en route, at 3:08 PM, both District 3 and District 7 were dispatched to a secondary incident involving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash with a passenger car at mile marker 118.8.
Upon arrival, crews found the initial vehicle at MM 118 had simply overheated and was not on fire. However, the secondary incident at MM 118.8 involved a CMV hauling a 74,000-pound lithium-ion battery, which had overturned and gone down an embankment.
All occupants were safely evacuated, and Incident Command made the decision to shut down both eastbound and westbound lanes of I-40 due to potential fire, chemical, and environmental hazards related to the lithium-ion battery.
After further evaluation, westbound lanes were reopened. The Hazmat Team conducted continuous air monitoring and checked battery temperatures, eventually determining it was safe to open one lane of eastbound traffic.
Due to the significant weight of the battery, a crane was required to recover and remove the load. TNT Crane Service was brought in to assist. The Hazmat Team remained on scene monitoring conditions throughout the operation, which continued into the early morning hours. The battery was successfully uprighted and safely removed.
This incident required an extensive response lasting over 16 hours, and we would like to extend our deepest thanks to all agencies and personnel involved, including:
- Volunteer Firefighters
- Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA)
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)
- Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP)
- Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
- Minors Wrecker Service
- TNT Crane Service
- Henderson County EMS
Thank you to the public for your patience and understanding during the road closures. We apologize for any inconvenience caused but appreciate your cooperation in ensuring a safe and successful mitigation of this potentially hazardous situation.
Respectfully,
Henderson County Fire Chief Cody Usery
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