Both directions of I-70 were closed at Highway 40 near the E-470 interchange due to a semi fire and crash, which disrupted traffic for several hours on Friday morning.
According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, all lanes of the interstate were closed at mile marker 288 west of E-470 just after 8:20 a.m. One lane of eastbound I-70 reopened about 10:30 a.m. followed by a second eastbound lane an hour later at 11:30 a.m. According to the Colorado State Patrol, one westbound lane reopened about 1 p.m., and the left lane will remain shut down for an unknown period of time.
Black smoke could be seen billowing up from I-70 near the E-470 interchange on the CDOT traffic camera shortly after the crash.
According to investigators with the Colorado State Patrol, two semis were involved in the crash. The state patrol confirmed that two semis collided after one rear-ended the other, which sent one semi into the median.
“The second semi then went into the median, burst into flames and burned up,” said Colorado State Patrol Captain Clinton Rushing…