COLORADO, USA — A fiery crash that killed four people on Thursday and for hours closed Interstate 70 in both directions near the 20th Avenue/Denver West Parkway interchange has some similarities to a crash that occurred along Interstate 25 in May 2017.
The crash in May 2017 involved a tanker carrying diesel fuel that crashed into the northbound median of I-25 near Orchard Orchard Road in Greenwood Village, through the Denver Tech Center.
That crash — like the one Thursday — involved a semi-truck.
And that crash — also like the one Thursday — closed a busy portion of highway, a road traveled by thousands, for many hours while crews moved in to clean up and repair the highway.
Below is a by-the-numbers look at the two crashes: what's similar, and what's different.
Time highways closed
I-25: 16 hours — Wednesday, May 31 at noon to Thursday, June 1 to 4 a.m. Thursday
I-70: 27 hours — Thursday, April 25 at about 5 p.m. to Friday, April 26 at about 8 p.m. (Westbound lanes reopened after about 21 hours)
No. of cleanup crew employees
I-25: 70 CDOT workers; 30 CDOT contractors
I-70: 34 CDOT workers, three CDOT contractors
No. of vehicles involved
I-25: One
I-70: 28 (Four semis and 24 other vehicles)
Feet of asphalt damaged
I-25: 100 feet
I-70: 300 feet
No. of injuries
I-25: One
I-70: Four fatalities; at least six people injured
No. of lanes on that stretch of highway
I-25: 10
I-70: Six
Semi-truck load
I-25: Diesel fuel, oil
I-70: Lumber
No. of people who travel that stretch daily
I-25: 200,000-250,000
I-70: 99,000
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