A blaze that took over a vehicle on the Bay Bridge caused major disruptions for westbound traffic heading towards San Francisco, with authorities shutting down multiple lanes to contain the situation. The fire occurred just west of Treasure Island on Interstate 80, per the San Francisco CHP office's post on social media.
The conflagration kicked off late Tuesday morning and had at one point blocked the #1, #2, and #3 lanes, according to a CBS News San Francisco report. Commuters were warned of inevitable delays as the morning rush ground to a halt. Remarkably, no injuries have been reported amidst the chaos due to the fire.
In a subsequent update at 11:55am, the San Francisco branch of the California Highway Patrol informed the public that lanes #3 and #4 had first been reopened, while the #1 and #2 lanes remained closed. "Fire and tow services are on-scene at this time," they posted, suggesting progress in managing the incident. Later, CHP added that, "All w/b lanes of I-80 (SFOBB) have been re-opened as of 11:53 am."
***TRAFFIC ADVISORY***
— CHP San Francisco (@CHPSanFrancisco) April 30, 2024
A fully engulfed vehicle fire on I-80 w/b (SFOBB) west of Treasure Island is currently blocking the #1, 2, and 3 w/b lanes.
Fire and tow services en route to extinguish & remove the vehicle. Expect delays into San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/XR2Kggn59b
Emergency services and tow trucks responded to extinguish the burning SUV and clear it from the bridge's span. Drivers were urged to anticipate continued traffic delays as the city approached peak commuting hours. Currently, city-bound travelers remain in the thralls of congestion and an indeterminate wait, with no specified time given for when the Bay Bridge will fully reopen to its regular flow of metropolitan life.