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Eastbound I-70 Near De Beque to Stay Shut Overnight After Semi's Transformer Load Ignites
A semi hauling a large transformer lost its load on eastbound I-70 near De Beque on Saturday afternoon, spilling and briefly igniting fuel. State crews will keep the highway closed overnight between Grand Mesa and De Beque for hazardous-materials cleanup.
Eastbound Interstate 70 through the De Beque area of western Colorado will remain closed through the night while hazardous-materials crews clean up fuel spilled when a semi truck lost its load Saturday afternoon, state transportation officials said.
The Colorado State Patrol reported that the truck was rounding a curve near milepost 57 around 2:40 p.m. when the large transformer it was carrying shifted. The movement snapped a tie-down chain, sending the transformer into the roadway, where it began leaking fuel. The fuel ignited briefly before the fire was put out, according to the patrol.
No one was injured, and no other vehicles were involved, authorities said.
The Colorado Department of Transportation closed eastbound lanes between exit 49 at Grand Mesa and exit 62 at De Beque. That stretch will stay closed overnight as cleanup and road-clearing work continue, the department said.
Eastbound travelers are being directed to detour via Colorado Highway 65 to 45 1/2 Road. Transportation officials urged drivers to allow extra time and to reduce speeds around the closure area.
The incident highlights the hazards that heavy industrial loads can pose on the mountain corridors that carry freight and travelers through western Colorado, where steep grades and sharp curves leave little margin when cargo shifts. State crews have not said when the highway is expected to reopen.