WB I-580 big rig fire creates traffic nightmare in East Bay

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A traffic nightmare followed people into their morning commute early Tuesday morning.

A tanker carrying cooking oil caught fire on the transition from westbound I-580 to I-80, just ahead of the toll plaza.

"The driver, along with a good samaritan, attempted to put out the fire but were unsuccessful," CHP Officer John Forsythe, said.

Police tell ABC7 News if the tanker had been carrying fuel, the incident could've ended much differently.

"Luckily, it was just cooking oil and it was caused by a tire blowout," Officer Foresythe said. "So, luckily nothing blew up."

However, one could say some people's minds were blown as they sat in a massive traffic jam. The CHP had to shut down the highway for about an hour and half.

"No one was injured and that's the best part," Officer Forsythe said. "That's our main priority."

It took more than four hours to get all of the lanes back open. A second tanker showed up to the scene to transfer the cooking oil, two tow trucks were used to get the original tanker and it's charred wheels off the roadside.