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2 Port Of Oakland Terminals Closed Over Explosion Risk

OAKLAND (CBS / AP) -- Two marine terminals at the Port of Oakland have been shut down over concerns that refrigerated containers serviced in Vietnam may combust after being powered up.

The Oakland Tribune reports that the dockworkers' union forced the closure of the terminals Monday after it learned of a quarantine of refrigerated containers that had been serviced in Vietnam. One of the two terminals was also closed Tuesday.

The containers were quarantined after reports of explosions and "incidents of spontaneous combustion" that resulted in at least three fatalities, according to a trade publication, World Cargo News.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday isolated about 13 of the containers in question in Oakland. So far, there have been no injuries at the Port of Oakland.

The impacts of the SSA and TraPac terminals closure could be seen in long lines of truck traffic down streets near the port.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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