A tanker truck diverted by a road closure on U.S. 285 crashed Thursday morning near the town of Jefferson in Park County, spilling an estimated 7,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel near creeks that flow into Denver’s watershed.
Denver Water officials were monitoring the damage in a fragile wetlands area known for fine fishing. Two occupants of the truck were severely injured and airlifted to St. Anthony Central Hospital.
Blowing snow and slush along U.S. 285 apparently contributed to the crash of a semi-trailer truck south of Jefferson around 9:30 a.m., Park County Undersheriff Monte Gore said. That first crash prompted the highway’s closure, which lasted until midafternoon.
The driver of the tanker turned off U.S. 285 onto Park County Road 77, taking another route through the valley, and rolled at 10:45 a.m. near Michigan Creek and Jefferson Creek by a wetlands area of springs and gulches. Bruce Finley, The Denver Post
