Tuesday, January 6, 2015

SLOWER SPEEDS ARE ADVISED DURING HIGH WIND ADVISORIES: 18-WHEELER CRASH, FIRE CLOSES I-25 NEAR WALSENBURG, COLORADO DURING A HIGH WIND ADVISORY. WIND WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.



Slower speeds are advised during high wind advisories:  18-wheeler crash, fire closes I-25 near Walsenburg, Colorado during a high wind advisory.  Wind was a contributing factor.











HUERFANO COUNTY - COLORADO



State troopers say wind was a factor in a tractor-trailer crash on Interstate 25 in Huerfano County.



The 18-wheeler overturned and caught on fire north of Walsenburg during a high wind advisory Monday morning. The accident blocked traffic in both directions during clean-up, with troopers diverting drivers to off-ramps next to the scene at mile marker 60.



It took multiple Huerfano County fire trucks about 30 minutes to put the fire out after the first truck on the scene ran out of water. The driver and his passenger were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. There were no major injuries.



"It could've been me," says traveler Don Weber, who was driving his RV south from Denver with his family during the wind event. He decided to take a break in Walsenburg, and stayed put after hearing about the crash. "The wind was gusting pretty badly and on the way in I could see that the trailer was weaving back and forth," he says, "so we just got some gas and pulled over to the side of the road, read a book and ate some lunch."



The wind was blowing more than trailers and RVs throughout the day. State Trooper Sam Goure says, "This morning when I came through at 6 am, I advised dispatch to put a high wind advisory in effect, and even in my patrol car it was blowing me all over the road."



Goure says the truck was blown over because the trailer was empty, and the driver tried to push through the wind instead of taking an alternate route. "It allowed the trailer to be pushed over fairly easily," he says, "which in turn, turned the truck over as well."



Troopers encourage all drivers to be safe on the wind-heavy open roads. "Slower speeds are advised," says Goure. "If you don't feel comfortable at the time when you're driving, find an exit to pull off on and wait it out."