One person died Wednesday after a collision involving a small car and a big-rig truck closed Interstate 580 lanes on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, authorities said.
Just after 6:55 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of the collision and a related fire in eastbound lanes at the bridge’s midspan. Witnesses told dispatchers that both vehicles were engulfed in flames.
Shortly after officers arrived, a Sig-alert was issued at 7:03 p.m., CHP Officer Damian Johnston said.
Firefighters also responded to the collision scene, but one person was pronounced dead despite emergency life-saving measures, Johnston said. There were no other reports of injuries.
An investigation found a person was traveling in a 2013 Freightliner towing an empty semi-trailer in the right lane of eastbound I-580 on the bridge, CHP said in a press release. A person in a 1988 Toyota Supra with “unknown mechanical issues” was stalled in the right lane in front of the Freightliner.
The driver of the big rig didn’t stop the vehicle and collided with the Toyota, causing a fire, officers said. The driver of the Freightliner wasn’t injured and exited the vehicle but the driver of the Toyota was trapped inside the car and pronounced dead at the scene. Police don’t believe drugs or alcohol were a factor.
I-580 Richmond-San Rafael Bridge eastbound lanes closed due to a fatal collision. Please use alternate routes. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available pic.twitter.com/GYHGHbElc0
— CHP Marin (@CHPMarin) January 27, 2022
Drivers were advised to avoid the area or take either the Golden Gate Bridge or eastbound Highway 37 as alternate routes.
By 10:30 p.m., the roadway’s No. 1 or left-most lane had reopened to traffic, following a site inspection and clearance by CalTrans staff, with all other lanes still closed of 11 p.m.
Update: One lane of EB I-580 across the Richmond San Rafael Bridge REOPENED around 10:30 PM on Wed., Jan 26. WB I-580 remains open https://t.co/BYqJ8V8xEN
— Caltrans District 4 (@CaltransD4) January 27, 2022
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
