Thick, black smoke billowed over San Francisco International Airport yesterday after a pallet of cargo caught fire in an airfield storage area, pulling in fire crews from the airport division and nearby agencies. Firefighters kept the flames boxed into a tight cluster of storage containers and scattered debris, according to airport officials, who said there were no injuries. Ground transportation close to the scene was briefly disrupted while crews knocked the fire down.
AirTrain service halted, bus backup launched
The airport temporarily shut down the AirTrain Blue Line, which connects travelers to the rental car center and long-term parking, because its elevated guideway runs directly over the impacted cargo zone, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. To keep people moving, officials rolled out a replacement bus service, while the AirTrain Red Line stayed in operation as firefighters worked below.
Crews contained flames to storage containers
Units from the San Francisco Fire Department, working alongside San Mateo County fire agencies, responded to what was classified as a one-alarm blaze and confined the damage to several cargo storage containers and nearby debris, KTVU reported. Live footage showed adjacent roadways temporarily closed off because of smoke, but officials stressed that the airport itself remained open and flight operations were not impacted.
Video shows thick plumes above the field
Video from NBC Bay Area captured firefighters dousing the burning pallet as heavy, inky plumes rose over airport buildings and across the sky. Officials told reporters that the exact cause of the pallet fire was still under investigation, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
SFFD’s airport team and ARFF training
The San Francisco Fire Department’s Airport Division maintains dedicated aircraft rescue and firefighting units and runs regular ARFF drills and live-burn exercises, according to the department’s operations materials. Those specialized teams and tools helped crews pin the flames to a handful of containers rather than a wider section of the airfield, the report noted, while fire officials continue to sort out what sparked the incident.
Travelers were urged to build in extra time while the bus bridge stood in for the AirTrain Blue Line and to monitor their airlines for any updates. Airport officials again emphasized that no injuries were reported, ABC7 reported, and said more details would be released once investigators determine how the pallet ignited.
