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By the numbers: Comparing the fiery I-70 crash and May 2017 I-25 crash

A fiery crash that killed four people Thursday has some similarities to one that occurred in the Denver Tech Center in May 2017.
Credit: KUSA
Interstate 70 closed near Denver West Parkway on Friday, April 26, 2019 following a deadly crash that involved multiple vehicles on Thursday.

COLORADO, USA — A fiery crash that killed four people on Thursday and for hours closed Interstate 70 in both directions near the 20th Avenue/Denver West Parkway interchange has some similarities to a crash that occurred along Interstate 25 in May 2017.

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The crash in May 2017 involved a tanker carrying diesel fuel that crashed into the northbound median of I-25 near Orchard Orchard Road in Greenwood Village, through the Denver Tech Center.

That crash — like the one Thursday — involved a semi-truck. 

And that crash — also like the one Thursday — closed a busy portion of highway, a road traveled by thousands, for many hours while crews moved in to clean up and repair the highway.

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Below is a by-the-numbers look at the two crashes: what's similar, and what's different. 

Time highways closed

I-25: 16 hours — Wednesday, May 31 at noon to Thursday, June 1 to 4 a.m. Thursday 

I-70: 27 hours — Thursday, April 25 at about 5 p.m. to Friday, April 26 at about 8 p.m. (Westbound lanes reopened after about 21 hours)

No. of cleanup crew employees

I-25: 70 CDOT workers; 30 CDOT contractors

I-70: 34 CDOT workers, three CDOT contractors

No. of vehicles involved

I-25: One

I-70: 28 (Four semis and 24 other vehicles)

Feet of asphalt damaged

I-25: 100 feet 

I-70: 300 feet 

No. of injuries

I-25: One

I-70: Four fatalities; at least six people injured

No. of lanes on that stretch of highway

I-25: 10

I-70: Six

Semi-truck load

I-25: Diesel fuel, oil

I-70: Lumber

No. of people who travel that stretch daily

I-25: 200,000-250,000

I-70: 99,000

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