East Bay Junkyard Fire Causes Big Smoke Plume

RODEO (CBS 5 / KCBS / BCN)

Contra Costa County firefighters worked Tuesday afternoon to put out a fire at an auto wrecking yard in Rodeo, authorities said.

The blaze sent a huge column of thick, black smoke into the sky over the East Bay. The plume was seen over a wide portion of the Bay Area, including from across the bay in San Francisco.

The fire was reported about 3 p.m. at JZ Auto at 700 Parker Avenue, according to a Contra Costa County fire district spokeswoman Emily Hopkins.

Hopkins said the blaze was "basically out" about 5:45 p.m., but added that firefighters would spend several additional hours conducting an extensive mop up.

Nearly 50 cars had burned out-of-control in the junkyard, located near the Carquinez Bridge off of Interstate 80.

The Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials unit responded to the scene, but determined a shelter-in-place order would not be needed.

There was no indication that the blaze posed an environmental threat, Hopkins said.

No injuries were reported and officials said the cause of the fire had not yet been determined.

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