An unoccupied Waymo robotaxi caught fire in San Francisco on Saturday evening, July 4, 2026, after driving over a firework during a night of severe traffic gridlock.
The incident occurred near the 1200 block of Connecticut Street. No injuries were reported, but emergency crews had to clear the damaged vehicle.
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"An unoccupied vehicle drove over a small firework in the street and caught fire," a Waymo spokesperson said Sunday.
"No one was in the vehicle and there are no injuries reported. We coordinated with the SF Fire Department and local authorities to safely remove the vehicle."
Widespread Disruptions Across the City
Intense traffic congestion in northern San Francisco severely disrupted Waymo's normal operations throughout the evening.
"Our priority is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations.
On July 4th, extreme traffic congestion in Northern San Francisco disrupted normal operations for several Waymo vehicles," the spokesperson added.
In other incidents, multiple driverless cars became stranded or blocked traffic.
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A separate video showed another Waymo carrying passengers as it drove into a lit firework, creating smoke under the car.
At Lake and Arguello streets, a line of autonomous vehicles stalled behind a disabled robotaxi, blocking local traffic.
Some vehicles reportedly ran out of power and required towing.
"Behind them was a huge line of cars snaking far into the Presidio," said Andy Nikolaeff of San Francisco to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"They were slowly figuring out that the Waymos weren't moving and overtaking them one by one, but this definitely contributed to the backup."
The transport problems coincided with massive citywide congestion following the Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show.
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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie acknowledged the gridlock in a video update, stating that the clogged streets would take significant time to clear.
