Flames consumed a semitrailer in southeastern Colorado late Wednesday night after a crash near the Oklahoma border that killed the driver inside, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
State patrol troopers responded to the Baca County crash involving three semitrailers on U.S. 287 at about 11:39 p.m. Wednesday, according to a news release from the agency.
The crash happened at milemarker 3, just north of the Colorado-Oklahoma state line, state patrol officials said in the release.
The victim killed in the crash was driving a Peterbilt semitrailer south on U.S. 287 when he crossed over into the northbound lanes and collided with another Peterbilt semitrailer, according to the release. Officials said the first semitrailer swerved back into the southbound lanes and came to a stop “before becoming fully engulfed in flames.”
Another southbound semitrailer drove off the right side of the road and into a barbed wire fence to avoid the crash, state patrol officials said in the release. The northbound semitrailer also drove off the side of the road during the crash.
The driver killed in the crash died from his injuries at the scene. He has not yet been publicly identified.
U.S. 287 was closed in both directions overnight for the crash cleanup and investigation. It reopened at about 8:50 a.m. Thursday.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Colorado State Patrol dispatchers at 719-544-2424 and reference case VC260027.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
