Semi-truck catches fire, shuts down California interstate for 16 hours

A big rig caught fire Monday morning and shut down Interstate 80 in California, according to officials.

The truck caught fire around 3 a.m., around 70 miles northeast of Sacramento, stated a post on California Highway Patrol's Facebook page. The interstate was closed in both directions. Eastbound lanes were opened first, and then westbound lanes were reopened at 7:15 p.m., over 16 hours later after the fire started.

USA TODAY has reached out to California Highway Patrol for more information. 

What kind of truck was it?

The semi-truck was a Tesla, reported KCRA and CBS.

According to KCRA, the truck drove off the road and crashed into a tree. Its battery then caught fire, shutting down the interstate after it released toxic fumes that were an inhalation danger.

It took multiple agencies to put out the fire. Fire retardant needed to be airlifted to the scene to make sure the fire didn't spread to the surrounding forest, California Highway Patrol Jason Lyman told KCRA.

The driver was taken to the hospital, reported KCRA. The crash is under investigation.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz