Overview

• A head-on collision occurred on State Route 4 near Balfour Road in Brentwood at approximately 10 p.m. Wednesday, claiming the lives of both drivers involved.
• One of the vehicles was electric, and its battery ignited a fire that spread to nearby grass, releasing toxic chemicals and complicating rescue operations.
• Hazardous materials crews were dispatched to address the risks posed by the battery fire, which delayed the extrication of the victims from their vehicles.
• State Route 4 was closed for about 7.5 hours for emergency response and reopened Thursday morning at 5:30 a.m.
• The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, but the cause of the collision remains unclear at this time.