Fire at Port of Oakland spews black smoke over the bay

A fire at the Port of Oakland sent thick, billowing black smoke across the bay on Sunday. | Source:Jonah Owen Lamb/The Standard

By The Standard StaffPublished May 12, 2024 • 3:49pm

A fire at the Port of Oakland sent black, billowing smoke over the San Francisco Bay late Sunday afternoon.

The plumes were visible from across the water around 3:30 p.m., with people posting photos to social media of the smoke seen from Marin and San Francisco.

The Oakland Fire Department said its crews were responding to a shipping container fire that may have been caused by a lithium battery.

Robert Bernard, a spokesperson for the Port of Oakland, said the fire was fully continued by 3:45 p.m., but had no other details about what caused it.

The fire was fully continued soon after it started, port officials said. | Source:Jonah Owen Lamb/The Standard