West Oakland BART station reopens after fatality reported
The West Oakland BART station was closed and major delays were reported on the transit system Friday due to a fatality at the station, officials said.
Around 2 p.m., the agency first announced a delay due to a "major medical emergency." Several minutes later, BART officials said trains were not stopping at West Oakland and that there was no Green Line or Red Line service.
There is a major delay at West Oakland in all directions due to a major medical emergency. Trains are not stopping at West Oakland and the station is currently closed. There is no Green or Red Line service at this time.
— BART Alert (@SFBARTalert) January 30, 2026
The Oakland Fire Department said around 2:40 p.m. that fire personnel were at the station to recover the body of a deceased person. While the scene was secure, the station had been evacuated.
Transit Advisory: Oakland Fire is on scene for an incident at West Oakland BART. Fire personnel are currently in the process of recovering the body of a deceased individual. The scene is secure but the station has been evacuated. Follow @SFBART for any further updates.
— Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) January 30, 2026
Additional details about the incident were not immediately available.
At one point, there was no Green Line or Red Line service. But by about 5 p.m., BART said the West Oakland station was reopened and the Red and Green lines were running.
Riders traveling to Berryessa or Richmond were urged to use the Orange Line to complete their trips. AC Transit was also providing free bus service to affected riders.
In addition to the issues at West Oakland, BART said around 3:30 p.m. that there was a 20 minute delay on the Yellow Line due to an equipment problem at Orinda station. Trains were single tracking through the area.