Fire at San Leandro Station Disrupts Multiple BART Lines Causing Extensive Delays

This morning, BART riders faced major delays as service on multiple lines was disrupted following a fire at the San Leandro station. According to a BART social media post, the Blue, Green, and Orange lines were suspended between Lake Merritt, Berryessa, and Dublin stations due to a fire-related incident near the San Leandro Station.

The blaze, reported at around 5:10 AM, erupted on the tracks, triggering a station closure by 5:20 AM. Not visible from the affected BART services, authorities advised commuters to seek alternative transportation methods. AC Transit stepped in to provide mutual aid between Lake Merritt and Fremont, while VTA aided between Milpitas and Berryessa, as stated by the same BART announcement. The fire's direct cause remains undetermined; however, BART confirmed that significant cable damage had occurred.

There is currently no Blue, Green or Orange line service between Lake Merritt, Berryessa and Dublin Stations due to issues related to a fire near San Leandro Station.

AC Transit is offering mutual aid between Lake Merritt and Fremont Stations and VTA is providing mutual aid…

— BART (@SFBART) May 20, 2025

Commuters on the Yellow and Red lines could breathe a sigh of relief, learning they were not affected and were running their usual service. Nonetheless, the fire's impact on equipment led to an estimated 6 to 8 hours of repair time before service restoration, and BART translated these updates into their Trip Planner to ensure accuracy for their passengers, as they explained in a follow-up social media update.

A visual testament to the dramatic early morning scene, footage captured by Amy Brown was shared by KCBS Radio's Matt Bigler, illustrating the gravity of the electrical fire. Bigler alerted his followers through a post: "BREAKING: dramatic electrical fire on the BART tracks at the San Leandro station has shut down service on multiple lines in the East Bay." Additional complications arose when the incident prompted a power outage in the San Leandro area, profoundly affecting the surrounding community, per ABC7 News.