Fiery crash collapses vital California highway

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

OAKLAND, Calif., Apr 29 (Reuters) A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay Area commuters collapsed today after a fuel truck crashed and ignited flames more than 200 feet (60 metres) high, the California Highway Patrol said.

The flames burned through the upper deck of a highway interchange on the Oakland side leading to the double-decker Bay Bridge, which connects San Francisco to the heavily populated East Bay. The same section of the highway collapsed in a 1989 earthquake.

The bridge, around a 0.8 km from the closed interchange, remained open and was accessible from another highway.

The stretch of highway closed after today's accident was used by nearly 500,000 vehicles every day, the Highway Patrol said.

Engineers were working to determine how much time would be needed for repair.

The cause of the crash was not known, but the Highway Patrol said there was no evidence the driver had been using drugs or alcohol.

The driver was hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries, the Highway Patrol said.

Reuters JS DB2234

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