At least four dead, 30 vehicles involved in I-25 crash that closed highway in both directions
Celeste Springer
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PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Interstate 25 closed in both directions near Stem Beach on Tuesday after a major crash. The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) confirmed that at least 30 vehicles were involved, and so far, there are four confirmed fatalities.
On Tuesday afternoon, CSP added that 29 people were taken to the hospital, though the agency did not disclose the extent of their injuries. State patrol says school buses were used to transport patients to the hospital.
As of late Tuesday evening, only southbound I-25 was back open.
A CDOT spokesperson said there were poor conditions at the time of the crash, as heavy wind had kicked up dust and dirt, though an official cause of the crash will still need to be determined.
On Tuesday afternoon, CDOT announced high wind caution on I-25 from Mile Marker 00 all the way to Mile Marker 163; from New Mexico to Monument.
“Reminder to drivers that even though conditions are dry, visibility can be very bad. Drivers need to slow down and drive safe,” a CDOT spokesperson said.
The Colorado Department of Transportation says warning message boards had been activated since Sunday, alerting drivers about high winds and Red Flag conditions. However, officials say wind speeds had not reached thresholds required to close the interstate or implement high-wind travel restrictions before the dust storm rapidly moved into the area.
After visibility deteriorated, CDOT says high-wind caution measures were put into place.
One driver who spoke with KRDO 13 said the dust storm moved in with little warning.
“Usually, if the weather’s bad, we’ll pull over so that we miss it,” the driver said. “But there was no way of missing it. The visibility was clear, and then immediately it was just dirt and dark.”
The driver said her vehicle narrowly avoided being part of the crash.
“If we had been five minutes later, we would have been in that accident,” she said.
Strong winds continued pushing dust across the region throughout the afternoon, causing additional travel delays. Drivers rerouted onto frontage roads reported slow-moving traffic and poor visibility.
The Pueblo Fire Department said over 23 different agencies responded to the crash.
One of the vehicles in the northbound crash was a pickup hauling a gooseneck trailer containing goats. Four of the goats did not survive. Twenty-eight of the goats survived and have been safely removed from the scene.
The Pueblo Fire Department says there will be a victims’ reunification center at Pueblo South High School off Hollywood Drive.
First responders ask that you avoid the area.
Weather officials expect winds to calm later Tuesday evening, but authorities say northbound I-25 will remain closed until investigators complete their work and the roadway is cleared.