Van fire closes westbound Richmond Bridge during morning commute

Last update: 10:55 a.m. Thursday, November 12, 2026

All lanes of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge are now open after a van fire closed the westbound direction during the Thursday morning commute, causing a massive traffic backup.

Callers to the California Highway Patrol dispatch reported a white Ford Transit van with smoke and flames coming from its engine in the slow lane of westbound Interstate 580, just east of the bridge's midspan, at about 7:25 a.m.

No injuries were reported.

CHP issued a SigAlert at 7:35 a.m., saying all westbound lanes were closed and urging drivers to use alternate routes. The backup made it difficult for fire crews to reach the van from the Richmond side. One caller told dispatchers a fire truck would have trouble getting through.

Marin County fire crews instead approached from the Marin side, traveling westbound against the normal flow of traffic, according to the logs. The first crew arrived at about 7:46 a.m., followed by a second fire truck a minute later.

Fire crews extinguished the fire by 7:58 a.m., and a heavy-duty tow truck from Corte Madera Tow was called to remove the van from the Marin side.