OAKLAND — A two-alarm fire that burned for almost two hours Monday morning at a large West Oakland homeless camp, forcing the closure of some stretches of freeway and railroad traffic, was considered contained about noon, officials said.
As of 1:30 p.m. it had not yet been declared officially under control and firefighters planned to remain on the scene for hours making sure there were no flareups, officials said.
The fire erupted about 10:20 a.m. Monday at the camp in the 3400 block of Wood Street, underneath Interstate 880, with multiple cars, RVs and debris burning, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt said at least 20 vehicles plus numerous RVs and a 50-yard portion of an unused railroad trestle burned in the fire.
Thick smoke from the fire prompted the closure of westbound Interstate 80 to southbound I-880 and the transition lanes to I-580, an area known as the Maze.
The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig-alert for severe traffic in the area of northbound I-880 to eastbound I-80; the West Grand Avenue on-ramp to northbound-I 880; and from westbound I-80 to southbound I-880 and the eastbound I-580 connector.
Some of the freeway lanes began reopening just before 1 p.m., authorities said.That was after a structural engineer had been called to the scene to examine the stability of the respective freeways that were closest to the fire, CHP spokesman Officer David Arias said.
Oakland Fire Chief Reginald Freeman said at least 60 firefighters, the majority from Oakland with mutual aid from Alameda, battled the fire.
Firefighters on scene were being extremely cautious as there were multiple explosions of what Freeman said were “pressurized cylinders” which usually are propane tanks.
Amtrak and freight train service in the area was also stopped while firefighters battled the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Several streets in the area were closed while firefighters were on scene.
There have been other fires at the camp in the past. A 2007 fire forced the Maze to be closed for 25 days.
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