Update, 12:10 p.m.: The California Highway Patrol says the Caldecott Tunnel bore closed by a car accident and fire this morning reopened at 11:15 a.m.
Original post: In an incident that brings back memories of a deadly episode more than three decades ago, dozens of motorists were forced to flee their cars after a crash and fire in the Caldecott Tunnel early Monday morning.
The California Highway Patrol said no one was hurt in the 6:45 a.m. accident, which involved two cars and closed the southernmost of the tunnel’s two eastbound bores. The fire was put out by 8 a.m.
The bore’s closure backed up traffic headed from Oakland into Contra Costa County for miles along Highway 24. But the CHP said the bore would be reopened around 11 a.m.
“Caltrans is going to come in and help remove the vehicle, make sure there’s no more damage to the bore of Caldecott, and we can get traffic back moving,” said CHP Officer Sean Wilkenfeld.
