Eastbound Interstate 70 has reopened after an overnight closure near Byers caused by a semitrailer and SUV crash and fire, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
The interstate was closed at exit 316 for U.S. 36 near Byers at mile marker 316 about 3:30 a.m., according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. A semitrailer and an SUV crashed and then caught fire early Monday morning, according to a 3:54 a.m. X post by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department.
Eastbound lanes of the interstate reopened around 9:40 a.m., according to CSP. Westbound lanes reopened about 4 a.m., according to CDOT.
About 2:20 a.m. Monday, the Colorado State Patrol responded to a head-on collision between an Amazon semitrailer and a Nissan Armada on Interstate 70 near Byers. The semitrailer was traveling westbound when it hit a guardrail and crossed over the center median and into the eastbound lanes, Colorado State Patrol said. Both vehicles caught on fire after the collision, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
There were eight people in the Nissan Armada, including children, who were taken to the hospital. One person of unknown age was in serious condition, according to a 9 a.m. CSP news release. The semi driver was uninjured.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, according to CSP.
Updated at 10:12 a.m. Monday, June 17, 2024: This article was updated to note the roadway had reopened.
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Originally Published: June 17, 2024 at 7:26 a.m.
