Major delays on I-25 after early morning tanker accident
Major delays were expected on Interstate 25 near Castle Rock as emergency crews clean up a messy scene where a semi tanker rolled early Saturday morning.
Most of the day, one southbound lane was open next to the crash while the diesel fuel inside the crashed trailer is siphoned into another tanker. By 2:50 p.m., three lanes were open. Only the right lane remained closed.
The highway was not fully re-opened until 10 p.m.
The Colorado State Patrol was notified of the incident at 2:26 a.m., per Trooper Gabriel Moltrer.
The driver of the truck was taken to a hospital with what were initially thought to be serious injuries. But CSP's Moltrer said the driver, a 32-year-old man from Firestone, only suffered minor injuries in the mishap.
The truck was the only vehicle involved in the incident. CSP's investigators have preliminarily determined the semi drifted onto the right shoulder near mile marker 188, Moltrer said. The driver over-corrected but the rig continued off the right shoulder and struck a guardrail. The vehicle rolled at least once with the Peterbilt tractor coming to rest on its wheels and the tanker trailer on its side.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the truck to drift onto the shoulder, Moltrer added. Excessive speed and alcohol/drugs are potential contributing factors that have been preliminary eliminated.
That single southbound lane was re-opened at about 8:15 a.m., nearly six hours after the crash has closed down southbound entirely.
South Metro Fire Rescue stated on social media that its hazardous materials crews were assisting Ambipar Environmental Services personnel with recovery of the diesel fuel from the wrecked trailer. Approximately 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel leaked alongside the highway. Firefighters dug dams by hand to channel the leaked fuel into pools where it was collected.
The semi was hauling a 9,000 gallons, per a South Metro spokesman.
Authorities were asking southbound drivers to take a detour around the crash site while two right lanes and shoulder are closed. The suggested detour required exiting I-25 at the Castle Pines Parkway exit just prior to the crash location and travelling east to Hess Road and State Highways 83 and 86 to rejoin the interstate.