Explosion Investigation Closes Highway 101 In Santa Rosa

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — U.S. Highway 101 has reopened in both directions Santa Rosa following an investigation Wednesday afternoon into a report of an explosion possibly involving a vehicle containing oxygen tanks between two Kaiser Permanente Medical Center buildings on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa. The Santa Rosa police and fire departments responded at about 2:35 p.m. to 3925 Mendocino Ave. to find that a tanker truck hit a building.

Three ambulances and a hazardous waste unit responded, and a command post was established at the scene, the dispatcher said. Santa Rosa fire officials wrote on Twitter that the hospital campus was evacuated and that U.S. Highway 101 and streets in the area were shut down.

Shelter-in-place orders were also in place but were lifted at about 4:30 p.m., police said in an update.

Just after 5 p.m., authorities said 101 was reopened at Mendocino Avenue, as was Old Redwood Highway from Mendocino Avenue to Cardinal Newman.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

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Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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