A hazardous materials spill closed parts of Interstate 70 and U.S. 40 in Jefferson County for more than six hours on Wednesday, causing a chain reaction of traffic incidents as semitrailer drivers got stuck on other roads while trying to bypass the closure.
Hazmat crews spent hours cleaning up hydrochloric acid from a leaking semitrailer after a commercial vehicle fire on I-70 near mile marker 258 just before 8 a.m., according to the Colorado State Patrol.
All lanes and directions of travel on I-70 and U.S. 40 were reopened by 2:30 p.m.
Hydrochloric acid is corrosive, poisonous and can cause severe chemical burns, .
The acid appeared to glow neon green and yellow in a drone photo posted on Facebook by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, which sheriff’s officials said was a result of a base powder interacting with the acid.
The I-70 fire and acid spill created a domino effect as drivers tried to find alternate routes, including a second closure on nearby Grapevine Road and multiple semitrailers stuck on Lookout Mountain, according to the .
There was no crash or injuries reported in the initial fire and spill, state patrol officials said in the news release.
A semitrailer overturned south of the closure on Grapevine Road, spilling fuel and setting off a second hazmat response, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The semitrailer rolled over on the dirt road and spilled fuel, sheriff’s officials said. It’s unknown how much fuel was spilled and what caused the vehicle to roll.
The sheriff’s office has also received several reports of semitrailers stuck on the Lariat Loop on Lookout Mountain, and the state patrol responded to three semitrailers stuck on a dirt road after trying to get around the closure, according to the agency.
Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood was temporarily closed because of concerns that the spilled hydrochloric acid may have entered the park’s waterways, . The park reopened Wednesday afternoon and CSP officials do not believe any acid entered the water.
