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Special foam was needed to help extinguish the blaze, which apparently broke out in the brake system and spread early Wednesday, Sept. 28, Saddle River Police Chief Jason Cosgriff said.
No one was injured, but many were inconvenienced when the northbound highway had to be shut down around 7:30 a.m.
"Rush-hour traffic was terrible," Cosgriff said. "The trailer had to be unloaded of all vehicles before they could all be towed."
Big Tows Inc. brought heavy wreckers for the job.
Fortunately, most of the vehicles didn't sustain as much damage as a single SUV on the lower bed that was destroyed by the flames.
Detective Michael Cooper was the first Saddle River officer at the scene coordinating the response, assisted by Sgt. Jeff Wells, the chief said.
Cosgriff said they were joined by:
- Saddle River firefighters;
- Upper Saddle River firefighters;
- Waldwick and Allendale police, who assisted with closing the highway;
- The state Department of Transportation, which helped with the lane closures.
A single lane was open as the operation continued through the middle of the morning. The entire northbound highway was reopened around 10:45 a.m.
Things could've been much worse, but a quick response contained the fire.
"Thermal runaway" is a chain reaction that begins when the temperature inside the battery cell of an electric car reaches a certain point and suddenly releases energy.
That, in turn, instantly drives up the temperature, igniting more chemical reactions, all within milliseconds.
Temperatures can reach more than 750 degrees Fahrenheit, gassing the battery and making the blaze so hot that it's extremely difficult to extinguish, firefighters say.
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