Colorado
Highway 50 to be closed until late afternoon
Posted: Jan 28, 2011 11:14 AM by Greg Boyce
Updated: Jan 28, 2011 3:50 PM
The Colorado State Patrol now confirms one person died in a tanker truck accident east of Salida on Highway 50.
The truck was eastbound, hauling fuel, when it came off the right side of the road near Swissvale and rolled.
The truck and tanker then caught fire. The driver of the truck died at the scene.
The fuel that leaked flowed to the south of Highway 50, which is away from the nearby Arkansas River.
The river is being monitored for possible contamination.
The road is expected to be closed until late this afternoon or early evening.
The suggested detour eastbound is north on Highway 285, then east on 24 and south on Highway 9. Westbound traffic can take Highway 9 near Royal Gorge north to Highway 24 and then west to 285 and south back to Highway 50.
Photos courtesy of Kevin Hoffman at Mountain Mail in Salida
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