Large metal beam dropped on westbound I-76, west of Wiggins, caused many problems Thursday morning for drivers

Crews on scene on westbound I-76, west of the Wiggins exit, clearing a crash caused by a metal beam that had fallen on the interstate. *Courtesy of CDOT Cameras

Rescue crews, including law enforcement and fire departments, were called out for a traffic incident in westbound I-76, west of the Wiggins exit, near MM 65, just after 7 am on Thursday morning, January 15. Reports of a large metal beam that had been dropped on the interstate were being hit by several vehicles, including semis. When crews arrived on scene, they found a lot of debris, and discovered that seven (7) vehicles DID receive flat tires as a result of the large metal object in the roadway. Fortunately, there were no rollover crashes or injuries from the incident. At about 7:30 am, westbound I-76 was completely shut down, out of precaution, to assess the damage, and clear the debris and objects off the highway. One lane reopened at 7:40 am, as clean-up operations continued, with mild delays on the interstate. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the incident and all the debris were cleared off the interstate at about 8:25 am, as traffic flow returned to normal speeds soon after.