Semi Fire Causes Delays On Eastbound I-70 At Colfax Avenue
DENVER (CBS4)- A semi truck hauling produce caught fire on Thursday afternoon and shut down all eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 west of the Denver metro area for about two hours.
The truck was hauling produce like tomatoes, lettuce and carrots when something happened and it started on fire in the eastbound lanes of I-70 at Denver West Parkway.
Before the lanes reopened at 3 p.m., traffic was rerouted at Colfax Avenue. There were backups along I-70 for miles.
The semi driver was taken to the hospital.
What caused the fire is being investigated but the driver told investigators his brakes were heating up during his drive down I-70 through the mountains.
Copter4 flew over the area that showed firefighters sifting through the boxes of produce.
Earlier westbound lanes of I-70 in that same area were closed because of an accident. That closure lasted less than an hour.