Fire At Crockett Fuel Facility Ignites Bay Area Traffic Nightmare

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CROCKETT (CBS SF) -- Due to a fire at a Crockett fuel facility that lasted most of the day, the California Highway Patrol saidTuesday evening that officers expected Interstate Highway 80 to remain closed in both directions until around midnight.

The traffic gridlock on I-80 as commuters left work Tuesday afternoon (CBS)

But the busy roadway reopened around 9:20 p.m.

The closure was from state Highway 4 to the Carquinez Bridge. Drivers were asked to avoid the area and consider using alternate routes.

All lanes were closed in both directions. Traffic was being diverted to Highway 4 for I-80 eastbound and to I-780 for I-80 westbound.

Thank you to all our allies agencies. More info to come but we expect I-80 to be closed til approximately midnight. Stay tuned for more https://t.co/uUbOCURyTq
— CHP Contra Costa (@CHP_ContraCosta) October 16, 2019

Emergency officials closed the highway to protect people from particulate matter from the fire and allow firefighters the space to do their job.

A KPIX 5 viewer said it took his dad four hours to get to Hercules from San Francisco International Airport.

"I've been stuck in standstill traffic on Pinole Valley Road for almost 30 minutes," said Angela Mendoza of Hercules, who was also stuck in the gridlock.

Traffic was being diverted into neighborhoods and the gridlock extended into residential areas.