Lithium battery fire closes multiple interstate interchanges west of Downtown

Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·1 min read

Multiple interstate exits were closed Thursday morning because of a hazmat situation in the Franklinton area.

Columbus Division of Fire Battalion Chief Jeffery Geitter said Columbus firefighters were called to the 1600 block of Mckinley Avenue at about 6 a.m. Thursday morning after a tractor trailer was seen smoking. Inside were lithium ion batteries, Geitter said.

Multiple interstate exits were closed Thursday morning because of a hazmat situation, including both east and westbound I-670 at Grandview Avenue.
Multiple interstate exits were closed Thursday morning because of a hazmat situation, including both east and westbound I-670 at Grandview Avenue.

The incident forced four area interstate exit ramps to be closed. They are:

More on Columbus hazmat fire: One-mile area west of Columbus evacuated after smoking trailer found in Franklinton

  • Eastbound I-670 to Grandview Avenue

  • Westbound I-670 to Grandview Avenue

  • Eastbound I-70 to U.S. 40/Broad Street

  • Westbound I-70 to U.S. 40/Broad Street

Traffic appears to be heavy on both interstates west of downtown, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation's OHGO traffic monitor.

The evacuation zone for the situation is:

  • East boundary: Central Avenue

  • West boundary: North Grandview Avenue

  • North boundary: Grandview Avenue

  • South boundary: Broad Street

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Lithium battery fire closes interstate interchanges west of Downtown