Interstate 25 remained closed in Pueblo for several hours Tuesday after a massive pileup involving 36 vehicles killed five people and injured 28 others, Colorado State Patrol said.
The crash just after 10 a.m. involved seven semis and more than two dozen passenger cars, the state patrol said. There were heavy winds at the time of the crash and blowing dirt that caused “brown out” conditions.
There was low to no visibility for drivers, the state patrol said.
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Read moreKilled in the crash were two men from Walsenburg, one woman from Pueblo and another woman from Rye, the agency said in an update Tuesday evening. Among the 29 people taken to hospitals, one was in critical condition, seven suffered serious injuries and 21 were treated for minor to moderate injuries.
Wednesday morning, the state patrol said the person who was in critical condition had died, bringing the fatality count to five.
More than 50 responders from 23 agencies responded. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The Colorado State Patrol confirmed that the people killed and injured were all involved in a crash in the northbound lanes.
Four sheep inside a trailer were also killed on northbound I-25, according to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak region, whose animal law enforcement officers responded to the scene. The trailer was carrying 30 sheep and one goat, some of which became trapped inside the trailer while others ran loose across the interstate, the organization said.
After animal officers secured the surviving sheep and goat, they were transported home in a trailer provided by a community member, the organization said.
The crash in southbound lanes only involved property damage.
No closures were in effect at the time of the crash, but state patrol Maj. Brian Lyons said at an afternoon media briefing that warnings had been issued regarding the high wind.
“This was one of those storms that came through and the wind picked up very quickly,” he said.
Investigators will assess the damage of the vehicles to try to assess where the initial crash happened. The Pueblo County Coroner will identify the victims after next-of-kin have been notified.
A high wind warning issued by the National Weather Service’s Office in Pueblo was in effect until 6 p.m. Tuesday. Forecasters warned of winds between 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.
Winds are expected to pick back up Wednesday morning and continue through 7 p.m., forecasters warned.