4 dead, more than 20 hospitalized following crash involving more than 30 vehicles on I-25 just south of Pueblo, northbound lanes remain closed

PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV) – Four people were killed, and more than 20 were hospitalized following a crash involving at least 30 vehicles on I-25 just south of Pueblo.

The closure went into effect at 10:30 a.m. Colorado State Patrol (CSP) said southbound lanes reopened around 2:30 p.m., but northbound lanes are expected to remain closed for an extended period of time.

The closure is south of the Pueblo Boulevard exit, between Mile Markers 91 and 94 (Stem Beach). Multiple agencies reported that they were responding to the crash, including the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), the Pueblo Fire Department and the Pueblo Police Department.

According to CSP, 29 passenger vehicles and seven semi trucks were involved in an accident that occurred just after 10 a.m.

CSP said initial reports from the scene include four fatalities and multiple other injuries. At least 29 people were taken to the hospital.

The Pueblo County Coroner’s Office identified those killed in the crash as David Kirscht and his son Scott L. Kirscht from Walsenburg, Mary Sue Thayer from Rye and Karen Ann Marsh from Pueblo.

Of the 29 people injured, CSP said seven had serious bodily injuries, one was in critical condition, and the remaining 21 people were treated for moderate to minor injuries.

According to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (HSPPR), one of the involved vehicles was a pickup truck hauling a trailer containing 30 sheep and one goat. HSPPR said four of those sheep did not survive the crash, but those that did survive were safely secured and have since been reunited with their owner.

I-25 is closed in both directions south of Pueblo for a multi-vehicle crash on Tuesday morning.(Colorado State Patrol)

Spokespersons for both St. Mary-Corwin Hospital and UCHealth Parkview told 11 News patients from the crash were being taken in, and UCHealth said it had activated “incident command.”

CSP said the crash occurred during a period of strong winds that were blowing dirt, causing “brown out” conditions with low to no visibility for drivers. CSP said due to low visibility in the area, drivers are being asked to delay travel if possible until conditions improve.

As of around noon, “high wind caution alerts” have been put into place on I-25 between the New Mexico state line and Monument, according to a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

As of this article’s last update, crews were still working to remove vehicles from northbound I-25, and no estimated time of reopening for the northbound side of the interstate was available.

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