embassies, a local police department on high alert following an international terrorist threat. flames erupt overnight in the south bay forcing people to run from their apartments. our comfortable weekend conditions persist. good morning, i'm meteorologist christina loren. we're in the 50s and 60s to start. temperatures actually dropping like a rock as we head into the second week of august. i'll have your full forecast in moments. but i'm tracking temperatures rising right now. we have a car fire reported on the upper deck of the bay bridge. we or scanning because we saw a lot of flashing lights. i'll bring you the latest coming up. from one to the other, let's jump over to the golden gate bridge right now. san francisco and all around the bay area, another beautiful day in the neighborhood on this kp monday, august 50th. this is "today in the bay." good morning and thanks for joining us. i'm laura garcia-cannon. >> i'm jon kelley.

good morning everyone. we start with the developing story, covering all morning long a welcome sight. b.a.r.t. trains up and running as scheduled despite a weekend promising a strike if no new labor deal was reached. governor jerry brown put a sta stop to thekn looming b.a.r.t. strike calling for a seven day investigation. i guess we can call this a last second hail jerry. "today in the bay's" christie smith live at the west oakland b.a.r.t. station where trains are rolling through. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it sealed like both sides were making progress on the key issues like pensions and benefits over the weekend. in the end, it wasn't enough. governor jerry brown decided to step in with saech-day reprieve. we've been talking with commuters this morning, they are very relieved. they also tell us they are tired. they didn't get any sleep last night, wondering if the trains would be rolling. they say they're also tired of being held in limbo. we shot video of the trains

rolling through west oakland into san francisco. it seems like the traffic is a little light, though it is still early this morning. at the request of b.a.r.t., the governor appoint add board to take a look into the stalled talks. what they'll do is hear from both sides and within seven days provide the governor with a report. during that time b.a.r.t.'s unions stay on the job. some of them angry that it had to come to this. b.a.r.t.'s board president saying appealing to the governor was the only option to keep the trains rolling. one rider just told me it's been exhausting keeping up with it all. >> made me kind of nervous, kind of stressful. really i depend on b.a.r.t. they pull me in and want to let me down with the strike. i'm happy today it's up and running. >> we talked to governor jerry brown, deciding whether to impose a cooling off period, up to 60 days on b.a.r.t. and its unions. if it happens, that could push a

possible strike into october. for now, today frkts at least the next seven days, b.a.r.t. trains are rolling. reporting live in oakland, christie smith, "today in the bay." >> as we said, this is just a reprieve, the b.a.r.t. strike on hold right now, but it has not been averted. nbc bay area following the inquiry and what happens after that. we'll keep you updated on air and online as well at nbcbayarea.com. in the meantime, let's see how the commute is fairing right now. checking in with b.a.r.t. >> the trains are running and there are 47 trains running on time. i turned over toward the bay bridge. my friends in our operations center, gary and ben are looking over here. they've been scanning it. the lower deck, that's the taillights traveling away to the left. that's getting out of san francisco. saw a lot of flashing lights heading in that direction. the upper deck, the headlights into san francisco, we also saw flashing lights. we should see another set in another minute or so. what's going on, it sounds like they're sending folks out of san

francisco. fire crews are looping back around at treasure island and coming back into san francisco. it sound like the car fire blocking two lanes of the upper deck is just before you get to that first san francisco off-ramp. so they can't get there unless they loop back around. there you'll see slowing and you'll see more slowing getting into the city. we'll look at another angle from emeryville. it was backed up heading toward the s curve. it's moving more smoothly now. but we should see this continue to build through the low clouds. you can at least make out that approach to san francisco. it is getting very slow over there. the bay bridge toll plaza likely going to really slow down the metering lights. right now the fast track lanes are the only ones clear. the cash lanes are backed up because a lot of folks planned on driving. now they're still driving this morning. we see the non-seasoned veterans going through the area, folks not usually drivers through the area, they have cash fastrak. the sig ap lert for the upper

deck into san francisco, your b.a.r.t. system which was going to be a problem is now your alternate. use b.a.r.t. getting into san francisco because of the car fire. christina, how is that for a switcheroo. you have changes in the weather as well. >> i went to sleep not knowing whether or not the strike was going to happen. turns out a lot of people did. this is san jose. as you can see, low clouds overhead. they span all the way inland. this is our natural ac. if you enjoyed yesterday -- and it was really nice inland -- you'll lv today. 59 degrees, 56 in oakland. temperatures as of lunchtime, perfect for outdoor plans. even antioch, 80 degrees at noon. 77 in livermore as you break for lunch. 62 around the inner bay in oakland and 58 degrees at lunchtime in san francisco. san francisco today, 59 degrees headed your way. 76 santa teresa and 81 in gilroy. we cool you off even more so before we bring about the summe heat. it's all in your seven-day

forecast. right now back to you, jon and laura. 6:05. police departments across the u.s., including here and in san francisco continue to step up patrols. it comes in response after a recent terror threat forced the shutdown of several overseas embassies. "today in the bay's" bob redel live at san jose police headquarters with more on the alert. >> reporter: good morning. it should be noted san francisco pd has not identified a direct terrorist threat to the city, but as a precaution, it's still putting its force on heightened alert. the department released a statement that reads in part, quote, we want to be proactive given the state department it's warnings in order to protect our citizens and infrastructure. what it ended alert means, paying closer attention to certain areas of the city, trying to determine if they need to deploy extra officers in those areas. police again reiterating there's no known direct threat to the city. now this morning, the federal government announced it would be extending the closure of 19 u.s.

embassies and consulates in north africa and the middle east until the end of the week. this is in response to intelligence indicating al qaeda is planning an attack between now and the end of the month. they shut down those installations temporarily on friday. they're announcing this morning they're extending the temporary closures until the end of the week. if you're traveling overseas, not just north africa or the middle east, the state department recommends you register your trip with the embassy. you can find the link on their website. reporting live outside san francisco police headquarters, bob redell, "today in the bay." new this morning, firefighters looking into the cause of an overnight apartment fire in san jose. this one started in an apartment building on waterbury court near williams and san tomas expressway. crews had to call in backup to keep the fire from spreading. the red cross saying a total of 16 people were forced from their homes. that includes three children. we are happy to report nobody

was hurt. the cause of this fire does remain under investigation. the bay area's biggest city adding a weapon to its police force in its effort to fight crime. the weapon is a new gang suppression unit in san jose. "today in the bay's" marla tellez live at the san jose police department where the unit was launched overnight. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it was just hours ago when san jose police chief larry esquivel sent out a tweet announcing the launch of this brand new gang suppression unit. here is a look at how it all breaks down. it consists of 14 law enforcement officials. the unit has two teams. each team has six officers and one sergeant. the unit will be deployed seven days a week during peak hours. the department says it's all part of the plan to increase police presence in san jose and reduce violent crimes. the department used to have a gang suppression unit. that was dissolved in the waning of the deep budget cuts it's continued to endure over the last couple years.

the new unit comes just as san jose police investigate its 30th homicide of the year. a 19-year-old woman was shot and killed over the weekend as she sat in her car near san jose state. it is not clear if this shooting was gang related. but according to the "mercury news," she was not the intended target. at this point no arrests have been made. this morning i have reached out to san jose police to find out more about the latest investigation. live in san jose, marla tellez, "today in the bay." the time is 6:09. we have new details coming out into the investigation of the death of a teenager in the asiana airlines crash. a source within the san francisco department saying sources found 16-year-old ye mengyuan near the plane. first responders may have mistakenly thought she was already dead. footage from a helmet camera worn by one of the battalion chiefs shows no evidence he was

ever informed the girl had been found. investigators say ye mengyuan was covered in fire retardant foam when she was struck by a fire truck, sadly killing her. the owner of a now closed travel agency has filed/+ñ for bankruptcy without repaying thousands to customers. "mercury news" reports diane nguyen ho ran sunlight travel for 17 years in east san jose. ho's attorney said she ran into trouble earlier this year when airline ticket hole salers changed payment structures and she didn't have the money to pay them even though she already collected the money from her customers. many customers say the agency hasn't returned their passports. it is 6:10 right now. police say they have gotten their man in a brutal hit-and-run. >> i seen the girl, she was latching on to the hoot. she got shook off. he swerved two times and she rolled off, heading straight for us. >> police say they've arrested

the man who drove right into a crowd of people down in southern california. why they believe he did this on purpose. plus there's also new incident. silicon valley scratching its head over a decision by the white house over a decision that involves iphones. a mishap during a demolition. investigators looking at what went wrong when an old power plant in the central valley came crashing down. right now a live look to a shot of the bay bridge we're being told. we see some smoke coming, a long shot there. can't really make out what's happening. we will keep you posted. we're checking into this one as we speak. again, we have reports of a crash on the bay bridge that is causing all this smoke. again, details coming to the newsroom. we'll have more after the break on "today in the bay." ♪

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typically in august we talk about summer sizzle. this week plenty of drizzle to kickoff a monday. temperatures are actually going to tumble apz we head through the week. stick around, your seven-day forecast in less than four minutes. as we look over here, we're seeing dunn edwards off bryant. look at the bottom. you see some flames right there as you're getting off the bay bridge. big rig fire blocks two lanes, the fire, the smoke blocking two lanes. chp says two hours until they can reopen. more details. we're already seeing a huge impact on your commute getting into the city. we'll talk about that and how to fix the east bay as welcoming up. here we thought we would be free of our commuter woes this morning with b.a.r.t. trains running this morning after governor brown stepped in and ordered a seven-day investigation to ensure both

b.a.r.t. and labor unions are negotiating in good faith. after that the governor may call for a cooling-off period. firefighters investigating the cause of an overnight apartment fire in san jose. the two-alarm fire starting in an apartment building on waterbury court near williams and san tomas expressway. nobody hurt in this one. the cause remains under investigation. new york yankees star alex rodriguez expected to be suspended from major league baseball for violating baseball's drug agreement. he won't leave the field just yet. a-rod will be allowed to continue playing while he appeals that suspension. this morning police in southern california asking why a man plowed his car into a crowd of people at the venice beach boardwalk. we have new surveillance video showing the incident. we warn you it may be difficult to watch. a camera shows the boardwalk full of people on saturday afternoon when a black car at the top of your screen barrels through the crowd. one person was killed, a woman on her honeymoon.

11 others were injured. one of them critically. >> seen the girl, she was latching on to the hood. she got shook off and he was heading straight for us. skinny, blond-haired dude wearing shades and looked like he hat nod a care in the world, just doing like 40 miles an hour, just mowing people down. >> the alleged driver in the incident, 38-year-old nathan lewis campbell turned himself in at a santa monica police station hours later. he's now in jail on a murder charge. we're learning more about the demolition of a power plant in bakersfield that wounded five people, one man very seriously. he had to have his leg amputated after shrapnel from this blast flew more than a thousand feet and severed his leg. police saying the perimeter keeping spectators at a distance was designated by workers in charge of the demolition. pg&e react being a statement

today promising to work closely with the investigating agencies. silicon valley trying this morning to figure out a startling and complex decision over patents made over the weekend. >> scott mcgrew, you say there may not be a clear answer. >> sometimes you have to throw up your hands and say i don't know. no one is quite sure what it means for the future of silicon valley. here is what happened. over the weekend the obama administration struck down a pat at the present time punishment against apple. it's complex. but the bottom line was samsung won a patent case against apple at the international trade commission. the commission said guilty, tells apple it can't sell certain iphones and ipads. then the white house stepped in and said, no, apple can keep selling those phones. this is an entirely separate case from the federal court's decision which found largely the opposite, that samsung had violated apple's patents and, therefore, owes apple billions of dollars. that the white house has no power over. so what do you make of this.

this is the big head squacher this morning. as a consumer, you get to buy what you want. as a manufacturer, we're still trying to figure that one out. other news, checking ahead to the monday markets, investors keep a eye on the threats from al qaeda. dow at a record high of 13,658. this se despite lackluster news on friday's jobs report. the labor department says fewer jobs wsh added in the month of june than expected. they weren't really good jobs, mostly in fast food and other retail, not the sort of jobs we want to see. not the higher paying manufacturing jobs, jon and laura, the construction jobs, the stuff with the good wages. the time is 6:18. san jose eeg mayor will start a two-week absence to begin a therapy program. mayor bob filner expected to enter a clinic while facing a sexual harassment lawsuit and a lot of calls for his resignation. the former congressman

announcing a plan after a series of women, including staffers came forward accusing him of sexual harassment. filner says will receive daily briefings about city operations while undergoing what he describes as intensive therapy. back to our developing news of the morning, despite no labor deal. b.a.r.t. trains are up and running this morning. governor brown ordered a seven-day investigation into the contract dispute between b.a.r.t. and its unions. how are the roads looking? it's a very good thing that b.a.r.t. is running this morning because we've seen a big accident on the bay bridge. a big rig on fire out there, mike. >> exactly. this is as you're getting off the bay bridge, westbound 80 around 5th or 4th. it sound like something underneath the section of the bridget self is on fire. that's what's causing the smoke and flames to close down two lanes getting into san francisco. this is a horrible time. bob redell has been spending in pictures. we'll have information coming in with him as soon as he gets

settled on the scene and will get us more on the report. this is the big backup you see. give you an idea where this is, relative to at&t park. here is 101 and interstate 80 off the bay bridge. you'll find slowing westbound, but not a big deal eastbound as far as the traffic flow is westbound off the span itself. there's bob redell from the bryant street shot. you see the dunn edwards paint shop. that's a local landmark. we saw flames earlier. you can see the glow of orange. it says forest street as folks head toward the bay bridge. that gives you an idea of what's going on. there's a huge flow of traffic coming into the city right now. if we take a look at the incline from the oakland side, it's completely jammed up as you head over from the area. right here this is the bay bridge toll plaza as well. we do see all this backup as folks are trying to get in over here off of 880 and off of the maze. now, we expected already some slow drive, but this is really extensive, all the way up the

incline through treasure island and towards san francisco where we have two lanes getting close, possibly for a couple hours. we'll look at the maps again and talk about the impact. it slows as you're approaching getting into san francisco and; all the way back from treasure island and jammed up at the toll plaza as well. instead of being the problem this morning, the b.a.r.t. stoppage did not take place. we have the trains running. insteadooof the problem, it is the solution. b.a.r.t. is running right now. it's your alternate to get into san francisco. if you're trying to get over from the east bay, that's the issue. getting out of san francisco, it looks like the lower deck is moving okay. that will be a problem because the fire crew is getting there. bob redell will show up there in a few minutes. the rest of the bay is moving smoothly. the tri-valley, not a problem for 580, 84 through livermore, a typical pattern. christina, we saw those low clouds going on, the fire in san francisco. as far as the weather, it's better than the fire. that's when we're getting a break. good thing we have you.

56 in concord to start the day. a comfortable 60 in san jose. meanwhile, plenty of upper 50s to kickoff a monday, a new workweek in san francisco. new week, new forecast. things are going to be probably very unexpected for most people this week as we do have an area for low pressure that will keep our temperatures nice and cool. instead of the temperatures climbing for the second week of august because it has been so mild, they are going to actually drop off with the area of low pressure continuing to bring in the cool ocean air at least for today. tomorrow, wednesday and thursday looking similar. as we hit friday and the upcoming weekend we'll see the averages coming back in the forecast. look at the temperatures, just spectacular. 71 for fremont, 75 degrees. you cannot beat that for the fifth day of august in san jose and 81 degrees in gilroy. let's get right to it. the next three days work like this. temperatures drop off. we stay nice and comfortable. thursday into friday looking to

be the coolest in the extended period and then we'll jump up just a touch for saturday. the heat returns very rapidly as we get into sunday. we're overall looking good this week. nice and comfortable as we kickoff the second week of august. back to you, jon and laura. >> thanks so much. we or continuing to follow breaking news out of san francisco this morning. instead of b.a.r.t. being the problem, it is now the solution as this huge big rig fire is burning near the fifth street off-ramp off the bay bridge this morning. it is snarling the morning commute. we've got bob redell live on the scene. that is smoke coming from the fire. we'll have more coming up in a live report, 6:23.

we are following breaking news out of san francisco this morning. take a look at these live pictures. there is a fire on the bay bridge. this is westbound heading into san francisco this morning. a big rig off the fifth street off-ramp caught fire and it is really snarling the morning commute. now people are being advised to take b.a.r.t. into the city. it's a good thing it's running. there's that threat of a looming b.a.r.t. strike. now that has been called off, at least for a seven-day reprieve. another top story we're following this morning. bob redell is live in san francisco. what can you tell us from your vantage point. pretty thick black smoke out there? >> reporter: good morning, laura. i'm on third and hairston. this is technically off the bridge. this is westbound 880 already in the city. and within the past few moments

it looks like san francisco fire department has been able to put out the flames. it's now smoldering. this is a big rig. i can't tell if it was a solo accident or another vehicle involved. there's no word on the condition of the driver of this truck. the cab did collide with the right side of the approach. it was the cab that caught fire and started burning the trailer as well. down here at third and hairston you have the fire department here, they hooked up one of the lines to the fire hydrant down here, got it onto the overpass to help the other fire trucks get water so they can nut fire out. again, if you're coming into san francisco, this is definitely going to delay your commute off the bay bridge, because at least the right lane -- two right lanes are shut down. i was able to see, it looks like some traffic is getting through. it's hard to tell from my vantage point. but it's definitely a visual

distraction and for a while, the past 20 minutes, there was a lot of smoke pouring into the down into area. as i mentioned, the fire department has put the fire out. they're now just trying to get the smoke and the smoldering parts out. live in san francisco, bob redell. >> we're seeing white smoke still billow out from the scene of that crash and fire this morning. but you can see by the center of the screen there, there are a few lanes, at least a little traffic is getting by, but it looks like at least two lanes are closed this morning while the fire department, not only has to deal with the fire, but they've got to potentially move this big rig off the roadway there. what a mess for the morning commute. we're told it could be up to two hours of delays getting into san francisco this morning. if you did get a chance, you should really take b.a.r.t. in or try to work from home if you can. ironically b.a.r.t. is up and running this morning, it is now deemed to be the solution to the

morning commute heading into san francisco. b.a.r.t. strike averted which is good news. the governor stepped in. we will have a check on the roads with those trains running coming up with mike and the rest of your morning commute as well. also, it's not just embassies on alert following a terrorist threat, we'll tell you about the bay area police department ready to go into action. good morning! wow.

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♪ well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. good morning to you. we're covering breaking news. there's a fire on the bay bridge this morning, a big rig causing a massive morning commute for you. you can see san francisco fire crews on the scene. this is westbound into san francisco this morning on the fifth street on-ramp, a big rig crashing into the wall catching fire. don't know of any injuries at this point, but we do know that

it is snarling that morning commute. it is a very good thing that b.a.r.t. is up and running this morning. that's also a strike has been ave. rerted. >> 6:32. good morning. happy to see you. i'm jon kelley. >> i'm laura garcia-cannon. that developing news we're following this morning out of oakland is that the b.a.r.t. trains are running this morning. as we mentioned, great news because of that crash on the bay bridge this morning. contract negotiations with b.a.r.t. themselves, they ended last night when governor jerry brown ordered a seven-day investigation. both sides have to make their case to a board of state investigators who will then determine if the negotiations are in good faith. that means that at least for now the strike is on hold and trains are running this morning. this is a live look this morning at west oakland b.a.r.t. station which is open. christie smith talking to frustrated riders this morning, but they're relieved. she's going to have a live report coming up in about 15 minutes. in the meantime, we wanto check in with mike inouye this

morning because it's a very good thing the trains are running this morning because the bay bridget self is a mess. >> what a strange twist. b.a.r.t. is indeed the solution to folks' commute. we're going back to the fire you were talking about. the live look we have from our rooftop camera looking at west 80. the fifth street off-ramp, two lanes blocked on interstate 80 as you get into san francisco. this distraction, tall smoke, the flames, the fire crews. below the freeway as well where bob was reporting at third and harrison, more crews feeding water to the crews. that's a big distraction for the bay bridge and vicinity. getting into san francisco, you grind to a halt before you get to hospital curve. that's a huge issue. the only alternate is the b.a.r.t. system. look at the backup going all the way back to the toll plaza. the metering lights are on. eastshore freeway slowing at the berkeley curve. north 880 as well as coming out

of the maze, slowing as well as you approach the bay bridge. that sig alert on the upper deck going to last a couple hours from what chp estimates because of the fire. we're going to move the big rig once the fire is out. then they have to start that second task. b.a.r.t. reporting no delays. we have 50 trains running on time. that's an alternate for you. i would strongly suggest that. let's say you want to use the san mateo bridge. we'll give you a live look out there as well. that's not a great option. the stall on the westbound incline is slow causing more slowing on the taillights as you get to the flat section. we have low clouds as well, christina. it's cooler today. how is that going for the rest of the week? >> cooler, definitely seeing the low clouds mixed within the smoke on the bridge this morn. do want to travel very cautiously to reduce the ability even more so. i want to start with the live picture in san jose. the low clouds span all the way inland this morning.

we have an absolutely spectacular day headed our way. we could be soaring temperaturewise, could have high fire danger. neither in the forecast at least for the next six days. it's going to be really comfortable. we're the only city across the nation with flight delays because of the thick low cloud coverage. 57 degrees in san francisco through about 10:00 a.m. when we meet back here for midday, we should be able to see the flights taking off on time. 60 degrees in san jose, 54 to start the day in gilroy. hour by hour detail works like this, "today in the bay," 75 degrees inland, 84 at 4:00 p.m. comfortable conditions. great evening, 73 bay side, 59 at the coast. your seven day outlook ready to go in the next report. back to you, jon and laura. >> thank you. 6:35. 19 american embassies and consulates around the world remain closed today due to a terror threat. the government closed the facility sunday. there's also a warning this

morning for americans traveling abroad telling them to be careful around public transit. the warnings come after the u.s. picked up on chatter suggesting a large attack or coordinated smaller attacks on u.s. embassies in the middle east. >> this is probably one of the most specific and credible threats i've seen since 9/11. that's why everybody is taking this zoo seriously. >> there's no indication of an attack on u.s. soil, but new york has beefed up security. police in washington, especially around the capital have also been told to be on alert. the threat is causing police in san francisco to go on heightened alert as well. the department releasing a statement that reads in part, we want to be proactive given the state department's warning in order to protect citizens and infrastructure in san francisco. police say there's no direct threat, however, to san francisco. the time now is 6:36. still ahead, we will update you on the breaking news out of san francisco. a big rig crash on the bay

bridge putting a lot of smoke into the air. mike inouye will be along to tell you the best ways to get around that. bob redell is live on scene reporting on the action as we speak. we'll have an update after this break.

we continue to follow breaking news for you out of san francisco this morning. a little hazy to see in this shot, but you can see the fire crews, sf fire on the scene of the bay bridge this morning.

this is on the fifth street exit going into san francisco where a big rig caught on fire this morning. they actually had to use street hydrants from down below just to try to fight ,rwñ fire, using the hydrants from third street to spray up and fight the fire. these are pictures shot earlier this morning from the fire. but that thick black smoke kind of enveloped into the downtown san francisco area causing quite a scare. now the results, quite backup on the bay bridget self. they're saying up to two-hour delay if you're trying to make your way into san francisco from the bay bridge this morning. your best bet is to telecommute from home if you can if you're in the east bay at all or to take b.a.r.t. which is a good thing that it is up and running this morning, as there could have been a potential strike. that has been averted because of the governor stepping in. a whole bunch of big stories we're covering. fire on the bay bridge, we'll

continue to follow breaking news and take a look at your commute. >> you can see how intensely the flames are burning down there. the firefighters did a great job putting that out. >> we don't know the condition of the driver in the big rig, but we're trying to gather more information as we have a crew on the scene as well. >> more stories to cover. it's 6:41 right now. today major league baseball expected to suspend one of the biggest names in all of baseball, alex rodriguez. the reality you'll probably see the yankee third baseman on the field tonight. >> a-rod and a dozen other major league players expected to be suspended today for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs. sources say rodriguez's suspension will last through the entire 2014 season, but the 38-year-old will be allowed to play while appeals that decision. rodriguez says he plans to play tonight. other players are not expected to appeal their 50-game suspensions. in the meantime, ncaa reporting it's investigating the reigning heisman trophy winner,

johnny manziel. espn reports the man nicknamed johnny football accused of accepting money for signing hundreds of autographs last january. that is illegal for college athletes. he was the first freshman to win that heisman trophy, he led texas a&m to victory. >> he had a crazy off season. we'll see how it turns off. 6:42. b.a.r.t. trains up and running, that 11th-hour reprieve from the governor keeps workers from walking off the job. the question remains, will it be enough to prevent another potential strike. ♪

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right now we want to update you on breaking news out of san francisco. a big rig crashes on the bay bridge this morning and bursts into flames, causing a lot of smoke out there and, of course, a lot of headaches on the roads out there. let's get right to the action. "today in the bay's" bob redell is live in the city with an update from a foggy and smokey scene out there. good morning. >> reporter: fortunately the fire is out as you can see behind me. we're at third and harrison looking at the westbound 80 approach into san francisco. this sauf the bay bridge just before the fifth street exit. you're looking at a big rig that caught fire, this was about 30 minutes ago in the right lane, a solo accident. i got done talking to san francisco fire department. it is their belief that the driver of this vehicle is okay. there was no ambulances called.

but it is going to cause traffic delays for you coming into sf because at least two of the lanes are shut down to traffic. i can't see everything that's going on up there, but just driving around earlier you were able to see a lot of headlights coming into san francisco that are at a crawl. i'm looking at some vehicles now, the tops of them going by very slowly. if you are trying to get into the city this morning, unfortunately it's not b.a.r.t. that will delay you, it's this accident. it's not clear how long it will take before they're able to clear the scene. there's still smoldering going on. they're still spraying water on this. this started about 30 minutes ago. when it did start, boy, downtown san francisco was just -- this area was filled with smoke. it was a very large fire, a very huge visual distraction here at third and harrison. the san francisco fire department is down here on the ground level. they actually had to take a line from the upper deck and hook it

into a fire hydrant. they had a truck down here selling out sisters and brothers on top. the fire is out as you can see. you can see the top of another container, big rig going past. it gives you a sense of how slow traffic is. if you're coming into san francisco, right lane, westbound 80 before you get to the fifth street off-ramp, you'll have this mess here. how long it's going to take before they get it cleared, my guess is it's going to be after commute. reporting live in sf, bob redell, today in the bay. >> which could be a long commute for folks this morning. >> with the intensity of the flames, good that the driver is okay. >> they'll have to remove the big rig, the shell of it out of the way. in the meantime, we'll check in with mike. they have a couple lanes open, but it's crawling. >> that's better. we had two lanes closed. as bob said, one of the lanes is closed as you head into san francisco off the upper deck. those are all very crowded

off-ramps as folks are geth into the city. look at the backup at the toll plaza. we had cash lanes starting an early backup. a lot of folks who intended to drive as a result of the potential b.a.r.t. stoppage caused the cash lanes to be backed up. a lot of8ñ folks are taking b.a.r.t. that's your solution instead of the problem. over here in san francisco, that's where the fire is. we talked about the fifth street off-ramp. harrison at third is where all the crews are feeding water up there. the fire is out. big distraction, even after the fire gets cleared, they'll have to clear that rig. it's jammed up getting out of san francisco. the visual distraction not a big issue as you get out of the city on the lower deck. that's better news. we look at the backup all the way back to the toll plaza where we have slowing down the eastshore freeway. maybe a few more cars coming out of the maze. it's not so bad for north 880. if you're using the san mateo bridge as an alternate, it's starting to slow coming off the castro valley y. in the upper deck we did have an

issue crossing the bay. there was a stall on the high-rise. that was an issue. we're looking the the tri-valley with a typical build. we do see slowing, early for 680, might be more folks driving to work. we'll end with the golden gate bridge as we look from the north bay into the city. a smoother drive, no problems. you're at the limit even though the low clouds are here. the ferries are doing their normal operations. i know they have contingency plans. normal operations for the ferries. that's right. everybody was up and ready, preparing for a potential strike. it's a developing story we're following with b.a.r.t. that last-minute reprieve certainly has commuters breathing a sigh of relief. b.a.r.t. trains up and running through the east bay despite threats of that strike. governor jerry brown called for a seven-day investigation. "today in the bay's" christie smith live at the west oakland b.a.r.t. station with reaction from commuters. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. i just heard a train leaving the west oakland station right now. certainly good news for commuters. )áq"

this morning because they were up late wondering if the trains would be rolling at all. if not, how they would get to work. they tell us that they are thankful that governor jerry brown stepped in, but they also are wondering this morning exactly how long this might last. trains still not full this morning here in west oakland heading into san francisco. and the parking lot isn't full either. here is what happened. unions made the announcement about the governor's decision late last night. one union member saying we're unhappy this had to happen at all. just before the midnight deadline for workers to possibly walk out, at the request of b.a.r.t. management the governor appointed a board to investigate the stalled talks. he'll hear from both sides. they will issue a report to brown during that seven-day period, the workers stay on the job. one commuter tells me he's awfully glad he did it. >> i'm glad he did. i'm very, very glad he did, because now we at least can maybe have little more time to get some action taken so we can solve this.

if people want us to use mass transportation, they have to make it available. so this was really quite, quite unpleasant. >> so what's next, governor brown will decide whether or not to impose a cooling-off period for both sides up to 60 days. that could delay a possible strike until early october. reporting live in oakland, christie smith, "today in the bay." we've said this is just a reprieve. the b.a.r.t. strike on hold, but it has not been averted. nbc bay area will follow the inquiry and what follows after that. we'll keep you updated on air and online at nbcbayarea.com. 6:51. been a busy morning all the way around. that includes weather out there. christina loren suggesting people probably take jackets. >> yeah, but hey, if that's all you've got to worry about in the weather department, what a great way to kickoff a monday. good morning to you. 59 degrees in livermore, 60 in san jose. we're at 56 degrees to start the day in beautiful oakland.

this is what we're looking at, 58 in campbell, 60 in san jose. you're kicking off the day with mild temperatures, you might think, hey, it's going to be a warm day. it's been so mild. we have to warm up. we're going to cool you off as we head through the second week of august. area of low pressure very stubborn, sitting and spinning right offshore. for us that's going to continue to pump in that cool ocean air. it's going to be a beautiful day. not too gusty, but just enough to where you can open the windows in your home, let the gentle breeze come through and go ahead and open the windows if you want to refresh your home. good to moderate air quality. our pollen levels are dropped off. 75. you can't beat that in san jose. 71 in fremont, 59 in san francisco where you might need the jacket. here is where we're headed. look at this. it's hard to believe, 70s on the way for wednesday into thursday. what's this? what is this? happy birthday, mr. jon kelley. you are in good company. you share birthday with neil

armstrong. how do you know that? >> i did not know that. >> great minds. >> you touch my heart. this is the first seven-day forecast i've ever been a part of. i will remember it forever. >> i'll get it on the web as well. you're not running from me. >> wow, this gets better and better. moving back to the real news, looking into the cause of an overnight apartment fire in san jose. this fire started in an apartment building on waterbury court near williams and san tomas expressway. the crews there had to call in backup to keep this fire from spreading. the red cross telling us a total of 16 people they were forced out of their homes and that total includes at least three children. we're happy to report nobody was hurt. the cause of the firp does remain under investigation. overnight in the largest city in the bay area, launch ag program that could help curb the growing homicide rate in san jose. members of the new gang suppression unit hit the streets last night for the very first time. "today in the bay's" marla

tellez live at the san jose police department with how the program works. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this new gang suppression unit will operate seven days a week. according to the police chief, it will be staffed with 14 law enforcement officials. chief larry esquivel sent out a tweet hours ago explaining how the new unit will work. it will have two teams, each team consisting of six officers and one sergeant. it will operate during peak hours. this is not a first for sjpd. it used to have a gang suppression unit before recent budget cuts took it away. the hope is the unit will help reduce vie rent crimes like the one that happened over this past weekend. a 19-year-old woman was shot and killed on east san salvador street near san jose state. while it's not known if the shooting, which was the city's 30th homicide of the year, brí in fact, gang related, the "mercury news" reports kimberly estrada was not the intended target. so far no arrests have been

made. the latest shooting happened early saturday morning. this new gang suppression unit was launched last night. officials say they're going to keep an eye on it. at the end of the summer they'll evaluate it and see if they want to continue it. live in san jose, marla tellez, "today in the bay.." the owner of a travel agency in san jose has filed for bang ruch see without repaying thousands of dollars to customers. the "mercury news" reports diane nguyen ho ran sunlight travel for 17 years in east san jose. her attorney says she ran into trouble earlier this year when airline ticket wholesalers paid their payment structures and ho didn't have enough money to pay them even though she already collected the money from her customers. many customers also say the agency hasn't returned their passports. moving to business and tech news, the markets have seen a good run, but easing away from record highs this morning. >> scott mcgrew, some disappointment about jobs, some concern over al qaeda.

>> we've been talking about the threats in some of the embassies being closed. wall street keeping an eye on that. the dow industrials down about 68 points this morning. let me point over on the new york stock exchange. you see there in the stare somebody forgot to put the date. when you realize you've messed up at your job, over at the nasdaq, we've got kids. shares in facebook opened this morning above their ipo price for the first time ever. $38.05. the ipo in may of 2012 at $38. we've never really seen that catch up. today they're finally moving higher for the first time above that ipo price, opening at the ipo price for the first time. now about $38.68. so an all-time high for facebook. how about that. >> there we go. let's see where the trend goes. thanks so much. >> it's small, but pop the champagne. enjoy it. one final check with christina loren for what's happening on a monday. >> we've got such a nice day. if you enjoyed yesterday and

chances are you did. you're going to like today. 73 degrees bay side, san jose, 75 is the forecasted high which is hard to believe because it's the fifth day of august. temperatures typically soar this time of year. we are watching a potential heat wave as we get into the third week of august. so that's a little hint, if you missed your seven-day outlook, i'll have it for you every 15 minutes throughout the "today" show. let's get to the traffic alert with mike inouye. >> thank you for moving the clouds from the roadway. you can see the shell of the big rig. the big rig crashed into the wall. still pouring water into the back of the truck. once they get everything under control and the fire crews say all clear, you can clear it from the roadway, then they get to move that. it looks like the big rig is partially hanging off the roadway and an issue for folks ek going underneath the overpass as well. harrison, watch that as you're traversing the area along the parallel to the bay bridge.

look at that. traffic slowing past the scene. one lane is closed. then coming across the bridget self, it's jammed all the way across. we look at the berkeley curve out of westbound 80 out of the east bay. coming around emeryville and toward the bay bridge, it's backing up, as you're leaving berkeley. even if you're going south into oakland, it's jamming you up until you get past the choke point. the low clouds aren't presenting so much of an issue. it is this traffic flow that's the problem. getting you back to the maps, we're talking about getting over to the bay bridge and the vicinity. instead of b.a.r.t. being the problem, b.a.r.t. is the solution. the maze not so bad, but it is the eastshore freeway. we had a disabled vehicle at the tollway which has cleared. slowing for castro valley y and 880 across the san mateo bridge. but the earlier stall has cleared from the span of 92, clear along the peninsula.

northbound routes through san jose, 101, 87 and 85 showing a pretty typical monday pattern arizona they build with volume. fremont starting to show more traffic and slowing past tesla, guys. back to you. it is 6:59 right now. final check of the day's top stories. we've been telling you and showing you this fire coming off the bay bridge in san francisco. it is now out. firefighters remain on the scene. they'll have to move that big rig out of the way. the driver fortunately got out. the unfortunate news, it's causing up to two-hour delays westbound into san francisco this morning. with that accident it's a good thing the b.a.r.t. trains are up and running after governor jerry brown steps up to put a looming strike on old. the governor ordering a seven-day investigation to ensure both b.a.r.t. and the labor unions are negotiating in good faith. after that the governor may call for a cooling-off period. firefighters investigating the cause of an overnight apartment fire in san jose. two-alarm fire started in an apartment building on waterbury

court. the good news, no one was hurt. the cause of the fire under investigation. >> that is a wrap today. that's a look at the crash. we'll see you tomorrow. good morning, shut down, the u.s. government extends the closure of embassies around the world and adds new ones to the list based on a terror threat that is significant and real and being called the most serious since 9/11. decision day, major league baseball set to suspend alex rodriguez through 2014. the announcement coming in just a few hours. so why will he be back on the field tonight? and the $332,000 burger. it's the world's first beef created entirely in a lab. but would you eat it? the man behind it tells us how it tastes today.