Oakland Freeway Collapse

Crews demolish a portion of collapsed roadway on Monday, April 30, 2007, near Oakland, Calif. Bay Area commuters skirted the wreckage of the collapsed section of freeway Monday as crews began hauling away the charred debris that had been a vital link between San Francisco and its eastern suburbs. A span of road collapsed after a gas tanker-truck crashed and burst into flames, weakening steel supports in the road.

Ramped Down — GETTY IMAGES/Justin Sullivan

Traffic is seen backed up on westbound Interstate 80 approaching a closed section of Interstate 580 Monday, April 30, 2007, in Emeryville, Calif. The closure comes after a gasoline-laden tanker truck overturned Sunday on a freeway ramp, sending flames 200 feet into the air, weakening the steel supporting ramp above. About 250 feet of the ramp collapsed under the stress. The driver walked away from the accident.

A section of highway lies crumbled in Emeryville, Calif., after a tanker carrying gasoline exploded on Sunday, April 29, 2007. In the resulting blaze, a section of freeway that funnels traffic onto the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed. The truck's driver walked away from the scene and called a taxi, which took him to a nearby hospital with second-degree burns.

A section of highway continues to burn after it collapsed when a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded, Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif. An elevated section of highway that carries motorists from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to a number of freeways was destroyed after the heat from the overturned gasoline truck caused part of one overpass to crumple onto another.

A section of highway continues to burn after it collapsed when a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded, Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif.

Part of a tanker truck burns on a section of highway after the tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded, Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif.

Aerial view of freeway interchange that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed onto another highway ramp in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 29, 2007, after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and caught fire. Authorities predicted the crash would cause the worst disruption for commuters since a 1989 earthquake damaged the bridge itself.

A firefighter sprays water on a section of highway that collapsed, after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded, Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency to speed up cleanup and rebuilding efforts. He also authorized free transit Monday on ferries, buses and the rail system that takes commuters across the bay.

A section of highway that collapsed after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded is shown Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif. Transportation officials said it could take months to repair the damaged interchanges, and advised motorists to use public transportation in and out of San Francisco.

A section of highway that collapsed after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded is shown Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif. An elevated section of highway that carries motorists from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to a number of freeways was destroyed after the heat from the overturned gasoline truck caused part of one overpass to crumple onto another.

A section of highway that collapsed after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded is shown Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif.

Workers walk past a section of highway that collapsed, after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded, Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif.

A section of highway lies burned and crumbled in Emeryville, Calif., after a tanker carrying gasoline exploded on Sunday, April 29, 2007. In the resulting blaze, a section of freeway that funnels traffic onto the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed. The truck's driver walked away from the scene and called a taxi, which took him to a nearby hospital with second-degree burns.

Aerial view of the freeway interchange that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed onto another highway ramp in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 29, 2007, after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and caught fire, authorities said.

Aerial view of freeway interchange that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed onto another highway ramp in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 29, 2007, after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and caught fire, authorities said.

Aerial view of freeway interchange that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed onto another highway ramp, bottom, in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 29, 2007, after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and caught fire, authorities said.

Aerial view of freeway interchange that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed onto another highway ramp in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 29, 2007, after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and caught fire, authorities said.

Firefighters examine crumbled section of freeway ramp which connects Interstate 80 to I-580 in Oakland, Calif., after a tanker carrying gasoline exploded on Sunday, April 29, 2007. In the resulting blaze, the section of freeway that funnels traffic onto the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed. The truck's driver walked away from the scene and called a taxi, which took him to a nearby hospital with minor burns.