Denver First Snow at 5 Inches, Results in Pileup of 100 Cars, Closing Streets

As Denver awoke to its first snow of the season early on Friday morning, there was a significant pileup involving about 100 cars that left several people hurt and dozens of drivers stranded. The street was closed as the snow reached 5 inches.

Soon after 5:30 AM, multiple vehicles collided in N Kalamath and West 6th Ave Street eastbound lanes according to Denver police on Friday.

A little over an hour later, police tweeted that several crashes had caused West 6th Avenue to be closed in both directions from N Kalamath to N Federal Blvd. Alternative paths were suggested.

Slick Conditions

Doug Schepman, a spokesperson from the police department, told Denver7 that although some of the injuries may have been serious, it sounded like most of them were only minor.

According to the police, abandoned vehicles were being towed from Lot C at Empower Field at Mile High.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) both informed Denver7 on Friday that applying deicer during a storm such as this doesn't work well because the rain that precedes the snow washes the deicer away.

Vanessa Lacayo, the spokesman for DOTI, said that the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure had crews stationed all over the city to keep an eye on major roads before last night's snowfall.

One of the routes that the crew paid close attention to was Sixth Avenue. When their crews passed through the area at 4:30 AM, the road conditions did not require a deicer, and it would not have been useful. Every two hours, DOTI will cross significant roads and bridges during a storm event such as the one Denver experienced yesterday.

Road conditions can quickly change in Colorado, like what took place along 6th Avenue, making the area slick before the crew had an opportunity to return there.

Read also: South US Tornado Threat Increases Due to Severe Storm and Western US Covered by Heavy Snow 

Snow Plows, Salt, Blind Spots

Some of the main thoroughfares, bridges, and overpasses that CDOT maintains did see the deployment of snow plows and the application of salt.

By around 10:30 AM, westbound 6th Avenue from Kalamath to I-25 was once again open, according to Jayson Luber of Denver7. Soon after 11 AM, the eastbound lanes were once again open, according to reports from Denver7.

Luber added that this is typical Colorado, and then there are the drivers who are ascending this hill too quickly given the circumstances. They can't see what's in front of them, so they slam on the brakes when they notice that there was a crash up front. However, because of the bridge's blind spot, they don't know what's happening up ahead, and they spin out of control.

Crash Alert

According to police spokesperson Doug Schepman, some people were taken to hospitals with injuries, but none appeared to be life-threatening.

According to NBC News, Police issued a "crash alert," indicating that there were too many accidents for them to respond to everyone. Drivers in accidents were advised not to call for help if there were no injuries, no cars were blocking the road, no one was intoxicated, and everyone had valid identification showing their driver's license and insurance.

Overnight, 2 to 5 inches of snow fell in the Denver metro area, and the temperature plunged into the mid-20s, The Weather Channel reports.

According to Denver Fire Department officials, 83 individuals were evaluated medically at the scene after the pileup. 13 of them were transported to the hospital. Only one of the 13 victims had serious wounds.

Related article: Western US to Expect Cooler Air with Potential Snow