Crews clean up semi crashes near Strasburg, I-70, I-76 reopens after winter storm

Cleanup efforts continued on I-70 on Thursday. The interstate reopened after it was closed eastbound from Airpark Road in the far eastern part of the Denver metro area to Byers. I-76 also reopened to traffic from eastern Colorado to the Nebraska border on Thursday afternoon. 

Eastbound lanes of US 36 reopened between I-70 (2 miles west of Aurora) and CO 71 (32 miles east of Byers) from mile marker 76.5 to mile marker 135.5 but the Colorado Department of Transportation said there were adverse conditions on the highway. 

Dozens of semi trucks crashed on Wednesday in the icy, snowy conditions near Strasburg. Four cars also were involved in the crashes. 

One semi is sliced in half and the goods it was carrying are spilled out on the snow. Other trucks are turned over and heavily damaged.

Two truck drivers asked to be taken to the hospital but Colorado State Patrol Cpl. Ian Alvarado told CBS News Colorado "Nobody's really seriously injured which is actually a miracle."

Among the truckers who crashed was owner/operator Arturo Garcia, whose cab and trailer were both smashed. He had been hauling a load of onions to Louisiana.