A major highway between California and Las Vegas was closed for 48 hours after a tractor trailer carrying hazardous materials overturned and caught fire.

The California Highway Patrol announced on Sunday that all lanes of Interstate 15 were reopened after crews moved the hazardous materials container away from the roadway.

The incident happened around 6 a.m. on Friday near Barstow, California, when a truck carrying lithium-ion batteries overturned, causing the batteries to detach and catch fire.

Both directions of the highway were initially closed, but the southbound lanes reopened later, while the northbound lanes remained closed until Sunday.

The primary concern was air quality due to hazardous chemicals released by the fire, CNN has reported.

San Bernardino County Fire monitored for hydrogen cyanide, chlorine, and sulfur dioxide, which pose significant health risks.

Efforts to remove the 75,000-pound container were complicated by its weight.

Written by B.C. Begley