Truck Full of Sparkling Wine Burns on Calif. Bridge

April 05--Authorities reopened both eastbound lanes of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Thursday afternoon after a tractor-trailer carrying Korbel sparkling wine caught fire several hours earlier.

Just after 10 a.m., the tractor-trailer pulled over to the shoulder near the mid-point of the bridge's span after a passerby alerted the driver that his tractor was on fire, the California Highway Patrol and San Rafael fire Battalion Chief Jeff Rowan said.

The flames destroyed the loaded tractor, weighing about 60,000 pounds, but the trailer remained intact, authorities said. The truck driver, 59-year-old Sekhon Singh of Rodeo, exited the vehicle before it burst into flames, the CHP said.

No one was injured, and no wine was damaged.

Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles, Rowan said.

Authorities closed both lanes of eastbound traffic for about 10 minutes while the San Rafael Fire Department snuffed out the blaze. The right lane remained closed until about 1:15 p.m. while authorities towed the big rig and cleared debris, causing a major traffic snarl, the CHP said.

Around 40 gallons of diesel fuel escaped from the truck, but California Department of Transportation workers were able to contain the spill.

Workers examined the bridge and determined there was no damage, the CHP said.

Eastbound traffic was backed up to around Bellam Boulevard at 12:30 p.m., CHP Officer Eric Hohmeister said.

Authorities are still investigating

the fire's cause.

Contact Jessica Bernstein-Wax at [email protected] or via Twitter at http://twitter.com/jbwax.

Copyright 2012 - The Marin Independent Journal, Novato, Calif.