Update: Big-Rig Blowout, Fire Snarl I-80 Traffic, All Lanes Now Open

Update: All westbound lanes on Interstate Highway 80 in San Francisco finally reopened this afternoon (Monday), more than nine hours after a big-rig carrying Asian food supplies caught fire west of the Bay Bridge early this morning. All the lanes opened at 3:25 p.m. after the charred truck was towed away. 

By Bay City News Service

There was no BART strike today, but a big-rig carrying Asian food supplies caught fire just west of the Bay Bridge early this morning, creating a traffic nightmare for commuters heading into San Francisco from the East Bay.

As of midday, three westbound lanes of I-80 were still blocked, and the California Highway Patrol was estimating that they wouldn't reopen until about 3 p.m.

The truck was driving west across the bridge around 5:45 a.m. when a front tire blew out, CHP Officer Michael Ferguson said.

The big-rig driver was able to pull over to the right shoulder of the highway just west of Fremont Street, and when he got out, he discovered that smoke was coming from underneath the vehicle, Ferguson said. The truck then became engulfed in flames.

The blaze was extinguished more than an hour later, at 6:53 a.m., San Francisco fire officials said. No one was injured.

The two right lanes of westbound Highway 80 have been closed for hours, and a third lane was also blocked late this morning while crews removed diesel fuel from the vehicle, cleaned up the scene and worked to move the big-rig from the roadway, Ferguson said.

He said the truck was carrying Asian food supplies such as fish, sushi and rice, and that the food had absorbed much of the water used to put out the fire, making the truck heavier.

The CHP had initially hoped to have the highway cleared by noon, but Ferguson said crews now estimate the cleanup could last until 3 p.m.

He said around midday that one westbound lane remained open, but authorities are encouraging motorists to seek alternate routes.

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