BART Service Resumes with 20-Minute Delays After West Oakland Trackside Fire

BART service at West Oakland Station resumed Friday morning after a trackside fire caused temporary suspensions and residual delays. The incident, which occurred around 6:40 a.m., led to a halt in train service in all directions. According to a tweet from the "Bart Fare Evaders" account, citing "@SFBART radio," the fire was successfully extinguished, allowing for the restoration of operations.

The fire originated from an RV encampment near 5th Street and Union Street in West Oakland, with smoke billowing onto the BART trackway. This external blaze prompted the immediate suspension of train movements through the station. While the fire itself was not on BART property, its proximity and smoke impact necessitated the service halt.

The Oakland Fire Department quickly responded to the scene, bringing the blaze under control within approximately 20 minutes. Following the extinguishment, BART officials conducted thorough track inspections to ensure safety before restoring service. By 7:00 a.m., trains began moving again, although passengers experienced delays of up to 20 minutes in all directions from West Oakland.

This incident follows a more significant electrical fire near the San Leandro Station in May 2025, which caused extensive service disruptions for several days. Investigations into the San Leandro fire revealed a "systemwide vulnerability" related to frayed volt cables, raising concerns about aging infrastructure across the BART system. BART officials have been transparent about these findings and are actively reviewing power systems and communication cables.

BART continues to address these infrastructure challenges, with engineers exploring ways to enhance electrical fault detection and isolation. The agency emphasizes its commitment to thorough reviews to cover all bases and upgrade alarm systems for future event detection reliability. These ongoing efforts aim to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety and efficiency of the transit system for its riders.