A fatal crash occurred on Thursday on Colorado's main east-west highway near Denver when a vehicle collided with a tanker truck carrying fuel, resulting in a fireball and a massive plume of black smoke, authorities reported.
The incident took place on the westbound Interstate 70 near Morrison, about 18 miles (30 kilometers) west of Denver, where the highway begins its ascent into the mountains.
The tanker truck, loaded with diesel and gasoline, was parked on the shoulder when another vehicle crashed into it, according to Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, he said.
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The collision resulted in the death of one person in the vehicle, while the truck driver was hospitalized, stated Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jacki Kelley. Details regarding the truck driver’s injuries were not disclosed, Moltrer mentioned.
A photograph released by the sheriff's office showed the burnt remains of a vehicle that had collided with the back of the tanker truck.
Initial reports suggested that up to six other vehicles might have been involved due to several vehicles stopping on the highway, but it was confirmed that only the truck and one other vehicle were involved, Kelley clarified.
The fire from the crash ignited small grass fires on both sides of the interstate, which were quickly put out, she added. The crash led to the closure of a segment of the interstate in both directions.
Developing: @csp_golden confirms at least one person was killed in this fiery crash.
— Briana Fernandez (@BrianaFernNews) May 16, 2024
What we know:
📍I-70 is closed near Morrison for a crash involving a vehicle and a tanker that was broken down on the WB shoulder.
📍 The driver of the car slammed into the back of the tanker pic.twitter.com/ImZBRtImHL
Some of the spilled fuel and fire traveled through a culvert under the eastbound side of the highway, requiring engineers to inspect the roadway for structural integrity, Moltrer said.