Colorado Department of Transportation crews were able to extinguish a car fire on the west side of Eisenhower Tunnel around 1:35 p.m.
According to Steve Lipsher, spokesman for Lake Dillon Fire Rescue, initial information was that the car was hauling a trailer when the vehicle caught fire in the tunnel.
Lipsher said that the car was able to exit the tunnel on the west side going to toward Dillon where CDOT crews were able to put out the fire.
Lake Dillon Fire Rescue dispatched an engine but it was called back because it was not needed, said Lipsher.
Traffic in both directions at the tunnel was initially stopped but by 2:20 p.m. all lanes had reopened.
Stacey Stegman, CDOT spokeswoman, said the car was hauling a large U-Haul type trailer when the car burst into flames in the tunnel. She said by the time it reached the west side, the car was fully engulfed.
She said that CDOT keeps a fire engine at the tunnel and tunnel personnel are trained as firefighters. She said they were able to put out the fire.
She said the lone occupant of the car was able to escape.
CDOT personnel are currently assessing what, if any, damage was done to the tunnel by the fire. She said that the considerable amount of smoke in the tunnel has been cleared.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
