Western Railroad Discussion > Tanker Truck Explosion & Fire in Oakland CA

Apparently, a tanker truck exploded and caught fire causing a roadway collapse at the MacArthur Maze in Oakland, CA early this morning.

From the location described, there may be an impact to the UP under this freeway junction.

If so, plan accordingly...

Listening to live KGO report at 5:58am, a train whistle can be clearly heard in the background so I am guessing trains are moving through there...

from KPIX.com....A tanker truck exploded early Sunday morning on the I-80 WB at I-880 connector ramp, which has collapsed. Roads closed at this time due to the tanker truck fire are: W80 to E580 / S880, W580 to W/E80, N880 to W/E 80, according to the California Highway Patrol.

sphogger

Incident: 0403 Type: Report of Fire Location: WB I80 TO SB I880 CON Zoom Map: 629 7E info as of: 4/29/2007 6:09:20 AM
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
5:06AM PER S6 HAVE V1 OPEN UP NB 880 AND PARK IN SAFE LOCATION ACROSS FRM FIRE TO PREVENT VEHS FROM STOPPING
4:56AM 1039 PAO CROSS
4:55AM PER BRIDGE THERE IS NO UNIT BLOCKING MARITIME AND W/ GRAND ONR TO EB 580
4:52AM 96-C ETA 30 MINS REQ PAO OFCR CROSS BE NOTIFIED
4:51AM 32-81 CPYS ALL WILL ADV MEDIA
4:51AM LIMITED INFORMATION FOR MEDIA AT THIS TIME
4:51AM PER 96-S6 MEDIA CAN RESPOND TO COMMAND POST OR JNO SCENE ON CITY STS OF EMERYVILLE
4:49AM CH 4 MEDIA 97 WITH 32-81 INQ ON WHERE THEY CAN RESPOND
4:46AM SUPERVISOR FOR 1184 WAS ADV D OF CLOSURE
4:45AM DOT BRIDGE ENGINEER ETA APPX 2 HOURS
4:43AM PER KAISER NEG UPDATES ON HIS INJURIES EXCEPT 2ND DEGREE BURNS
4:42AM OPD 97 NB 880 TO EB 80 FOR CLOSURE
4:39AM DRIVER OF TANKER WALKED TO GAS SATION MARKET AT GRAND
4:38AM PLS CONFIRM CALTRANS CPYS LN 44
4:35AM 1039 OPD RE LINE 96
4:33AM PER 96-8 REQ PD RESPOND TO GRAND ONR TO NB 880 VEHS STILL GETTING ON HERE
4:33AM UNKNOWN ON TANKER DRVR AND FIRE IS NOT AWARE OF ANY INJS AT THIS TIME
4:33AM THIS RESULTED IN FIRE THAT HEATED METAL IN CABLES OF ABOVE SEGMENT EB 80 TO EB 580 WHICH CAUSED THIS TO COLLAPSE
4:33AM ** APPEARS TO BE TRFC COLLISION INV TANKER WB 80 TO SB 880
4:33AM 96-S6 REQ V1 RELIEVE 177 HAVE 177 SPLIT UP AND RESPOND IT 2 SEPERATE VEHS
4:27AM PER 96-177 SEVERAL VEHS STALLED OR STUCK NB 880 TO EB 80 THAT NEED TO BE TURNED AROUND -- 96-8 COPYS ENRT
4:19AM PER 96-177 THEY CAN 1022 FOR NOW TRAFFIC IS LIGHT
4:17AM PER 96-S6 CANNOT CONFIRM LN 70 STILL UNABLE TO GET TO SCENE DUE TO FIRE
4:13AM PER 96-S6 HAVE THEM CONTACT OAK FIRE AND EMERYVILLE FIRE AS WELL AS ADV NG OF CLOSURES
4:13AM UNK ON LN 65 FIRE IS 97 TRYING TO PUT FIRE OUT
4:11AM 96-V2 AND 96-S6 WB 80 TO EB 580 CLOSED
4:10AM 96-55 NB 880 TO EB 80 CLOSED
4:09AM 96-177 NB 880 TO EB 80 CLOSED
4:09AM WB 80 TO EB 580 AND SB 880 CLOSED
4:08AM PER 32-S8 // 32-21 IS AT TP // HELPING TO DIVERT TRAFFIC
4:07AM BRDG CAN DIVERT BIG RIGS AT TP AND HAVE THE TURN AROUND AND GO OPPOSITE WAY
4:07AM ALSO CLR IS EB 80 ACROSS BRDG TOWARDS SACTO
4:07AM EVERYTHING ELSE CLOSED
4:07AM ONLY OPEN AREA IS WB 80 FRM POWELL ACROSS BAY BRDG AND WB 580 TO EB 80
3:58AM 1039 HAY // PER 25-S3 / WILL BE ENRT WHEN HE PICKS UP 25-73 FROM THE OFFICE
3:57AM NEED CALTANS TO START ENGINEER TO VERIFY STRUCTURE WILL BE SAFE ONCE FIRE IS OUT
3:57AM OPD IS HOLDING TRAFFIC UP AT W GRAND ONTO WB 580
3:57AM PER CALTRANS TO OPD // RDWY BUCKELING
3:54AM REQ ANY FREE HAYWARD UNIT TO RESPOND TO CLOSE DWN ALL 880 AT 980 PLS
3:52AM 1039 JAIL TO ADV OFCRS THERE
3:52AM SIG ALERT W/B 80 TO 580/880 CONN CLOSED DUE TO FIRE USE ALT RTES
3:51AM 1039 ENTAC
3:51AM PER BRG TOW TRUCKS 1097 AND CAL TRANS SUPERVISOR 1097 NFI
3:50AM BRG IS 1097
3:49AM WILL NEED TO CLOSE FWY
3:49AM ALL UNITS AVAIL ROLL CODE 3
3:49AM TRANS SB 880 // FULLY ENGULFED SEVERAL VEHS 97
3:48AM 1039 DOTCC
3:47AM THE TANKER BLEW UP AND THE FLAMES ARE GOING ONTO THE UPPER 580 DECK
3:47AM RP BELIEVES FIRE IS UNDERNEATH MAZE BUT FLAMES ARE REACHING THE TRANSITION RAMPS AT THE MAZE
3:46AM PER L405 -- WB 80 JEO POWELL // TANKER TK #1 LN W/FLAMES
3:46AM PER ANOTHER THE TRANSITION RAMPS ARE COMPLETELY ENGULFED
3:43AM PER OTHER CALLER / FLAMES AND HEAVY SMOKE COMING ACROSS THE 880 / TRFC BAKING UP / SB 880 JNO W GRAND NEAR BEST BUY
3:42AM 1039 OAK FIRE

Looking on the bright side, I just hope that this may give Caltrans an opportunity to fix that crappy interchange so it doesn't back up traffic for miles under average, counter-commute conditions.

C'mon Caltrans had a chance after the Loma Prieta earthquake. Remember this is a new and improved interchange.

Maybe Caltrans should see if the UP American River bridge crew is available for a quick fix.

mdo

Lets see if Caltrains can meet the time line UP did with their Bridge Fire in Sacramento? Now will see the difference between Goverment and the Private sector!

Valleyman

http://www.nbc11.com/image/13217895/detail.html

It looks like this is right above the old Key System subway which went under the Espee (now UP).

Richard - San Leandro

Hi Everybody--
Well now, this disturbs me to no end. Why did this just have to happen over MY beloved "Key System Subway" ??? The shame of it all... STASH and I are in mourning because of it.. <g>

But you watch-- CALTRANS will say it will take many weeks to replace this-- but UPRR replaced what ? Some 1400 feet of trestle in record time.. Anyone want to wager on this one ??

The attached photo (taken 6-1-2002) in the Key Subway would show the area that the freeway ramp collapsed OVER the top of. Good thing we took the tour when we did, huh ? By the way, two guys in YELLOW shirts are (from left): Key Route Ken and then STASH... To the right of STASH is everybody's favorite railfan:
"MargaretSPFan" ...

Cheers.

KRK

---

Didn't another tanker blow up in the same location within the last ten years? Or was it just a rigs saddle tanks that went up?

CALTRANS, too many Cheifs and not enough Indians. From looking at the picture and thinking about the speed at which they fixed the 50' section of the Bay Bridge in '89, I'd wager on 6-8 weeks.

-Rob

Managed to get out there after coming back from a slideshow. UPPO was out at the scene for a couple of minutes, told me right as I was walking up to watch out because trains were going to start running again, although I don't think that they ever stopped running. Dispatcher wasn't running trains out of RD2 at Emeryville and of the two WB's we shot both were running damn slow through Stege and Berkeley. Right now just lots of bells and whistles. : - )

Take Care,
Alex Ramos

---

---

---

One more for now...

Take Care,
Alex Ramos

---

Map View of the Emeryville 80-580-880 "Maze"

The Tanker Truck was probably SB on the 80 to 880 transition (lower level).
This is a well-known location for vehicles kissing the wall... as the 880 SB curve after the 580 split is narrow and blind.

Why CalTrans has not funded a redesign here is beyond me.
Thankfully... no appearent impact of the rail infrastructure...
I sure would not want to be in the Monday commute!

Richard - San Leandro

---

KeyRouteKen Wrote:
>
> But you watch-- CALTRANS will say it will take
> many weeks to replace this-- but UPRR replaced
> what ? Some 1400 feet of trestle in record time..
> Anyone want to wager on this one ??
Not the same thing, way more things to be rebuilt, and there not the kind of parts that can be made ahead of time like the precast beams . You will have to make the beams and then pore the deck , Not a fast proses. Not that c dot isn't going to lose cash like the UP was on there shipments

GoldenState Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't another tanker blow up in the same location
> within the last ten years? Or was it just a rigs
> saddle tanks that went up?
>
>A tanker blew up in the Caldecott tunnel between Berkeley and Walnut Creek some years ago. Really horrific mess. Brought down a whole raft of new rules for tankers going through tunnels.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

This should really make for a hellish commute up there Perhaps if they want a fast and good quality rebuild they should contract UPs bridge department How many years of "enviromental impact studies" and other BS will Caltrans need before work even starts

A propane truck blew up on the WB 80 to SB 880 ramp some years ago. Speeding truck driver was the cause as I recall. There was some roadway damage at that time.


CarolVoss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GoldenState Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Didn't another tanker blow up in the same
> location
> > within the last ten years? Or was it just a
> rigs
> > saddle tanks that went up?
> >
> >A tanker blew up in the Caldecott tunnel between
> Berkeley and Walnut Creek some years ago. Really
> horrific mess. Brought down a whole raft of new
> rules for tankers going through tunnels.
> C.

There's the subway, Key Route Ken.

---

I'm just glad that I don't navigate "the Maze" anymore. Did have to drive it daily through the rebuild of the eastbound Bay Bridge and reconstruction of "the Maze", and the detours after the other tanker wreck at that location. Not fun when you are are on a service call to restore a radio or other communication site in the SF area or Marin/North Bay and the shop is on Coast Guard Island.

I'll bet it will take CalTrans 18 months to fix this mess. Just be glad the two Browns ain't mayors anymore - it would take 18+ years!

Chief409

Another freeway 'in the toilet'... well, almost! Is that a 'sewer farm' just below it in the aerial view? What a mess!

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry