Major BART Delay Due to Problem at Embarcadero Station

Update, 9:45 a.m.: BART says it's now running "normal" service through Embarcadero Station -- meaning that it's using both tracks again after a partial shutdown due to reports of a small fire or smoke on the station trackway.

The agency said passengers could expect "residual delays" due to trains being backed up throughout its system. Via Twitter, many riders are telling tales of two-hour-plus commutes:

On the other hand, this 140-character dispatch from the San Francisco Chronicle's Michael Cabanatuan suggests the system has recovered from the earlier issues:

Update, 8:55 a.m.: BART says that crews have arrived at Embarcadero Station and are "looking into the fire or smoke issue on the trackway" at the station. The agency said via a recorded message that the exact nature of the problem is unclear. At first, BART said a small trackside fire had occurred at or near the station; now it says the issue might be smoke, and it's trying to determine the source.

The agency said fire crews were standing by if needed. It also reported it's seeking "mutual aid" from Muni to help move passengers in downtown San Francisco.

Original post: Now that we've written that headline, there's almost nothing left to say.

Except that thousands of transbay commuters are marooned by what BART is describing as a small trackside fire at San Francisco's Embarcadero Station. The transit agency says that it's able to use one track to get trains in and out of the city, but that's resulting in a major delay -- we don't have a time estimate yet, but figure a half-hour or more -- on BART's westbound SFO, Millbrae and Daly City lines and all trains from the city to Richmond, Pittsburgh/Bay Point, Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont.

Here's the latest alert from BART:

We'll have more as the situation develops.