Firefighters and a hazardous materials team responded to a rollover crash and fire involving a big rig carrying lithium-ion batteries Thursday near the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro. There were no injuries reported in the crash early Thursday afternoon near the busy shipping port.

A hazardous fire broke out in San Pedro around noon on Thursday after a big rig carrying lithium ion batteries overturned, causing at least one battery to explode, authorities said.

SAN PEDRO, Calif. - Traffic was backed up on the 47 Freeway in San Pedro Thursday afternoon as firefighters battled a blaze set off by a big rig truck carrying lithium-ion batteries. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the crash was reported just before noon in the 900 block of North Seaside Avenue.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are growing in adoption, used in devices like smartphones and laptops, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. But supplies of nickel and cobalt commonly used in the cathodes of these batteries are limited.

Hazardous materials investigators are responding to San Pedro where a big rig containing lithium-ion batteries flipped over, trigging a partial closure of the 47 Freeway in the Long Beach area, authorities said.

A big-rig truck overturned in San Pedro, causing the lithium ion batteries on the truck to explode and catch fire.