I-25 remains closed Monday following deadly freight train derailment north of Pueblo

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Interstate 25 remains closed in both directions just north of Pueblo following a deadly freight train derailment Sunday afternoon.

At 4:22 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, Colorado State Patrol announced a trail had derailed along a bridge over I-25 near milepost 106. The bridge ended up collapsing too.

Since then, drivers have been forced to take alternate routes. There is no timeline for when the interstate will reopen.

In addition to the derailment, a large amount of coal spilled out onto the interstate - covering northbound and southbound lanes.

CSP confirmed Sunday night a semi-truck was underneath the bridge at the time of the crash. The driver, whose name hasn't been released yet, did not survive.

As of 9:19 a.m., the Colorado Department of Transportation said it had crews on the scene.

Sunday, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg released the following statement online regarding the derailment:

In touch with Gov. Polis and have been briefed by Federal Railroad & Federal Highway Administrations on a BNSF coal train derailment & bridge collapse affecting I-25 near Pueblo, CO. USDOT staff are en route. Travelers should follow local updates about closures & detours.

State & local authorities are leading the immediate emergency response, and we will be ready to help in any way needed to support a swift return to normal use for the highway and rail routes affected.

Secretary Pete Buttigieg

A KRDO viewer captured this before a no-fly zone was put in place over the train derailment site.

According to the Pueblo Police Department, Mayor Nick Gradisar and Pueblo County Commissioner Daneya Esgar were out at the scene Monday. PPD said they inspected the site with representatives from the Colorado State Patrol, CDOT, and BNSF Railway.

Police said "several agencies" are working to address the incident "as soon as possible." However, PPD said there will be continued delays on I-25 because there are "several aspects" of the derailment "that need to be addressed before traffic" can resume.

Below are the alternate route details for I-25, this was updated at 4:36 a.m., Oct. 16:

Between Exit 110: Pinon (2 miles north of Pueblo West) and Exit 100B: 29th Street (Pueblo) from Mile Point 110 to Mile Point 101. Road closed expect delays due to a crash.

Comment: I-25 is closed at MP 106, north of Pueblo, due to a train derailment. This will be an extended closure. Drivers heading between Pueblo and Colorado Springs must detour. The recommended route is US 50 and CO 115.

Motorists traveling southbound on I-25 towards Pueblo will be detoured to exit 110 toward Overton Road and then south toward Jerry Murphy Road, motorists will then head toward I-25 via CO 47 westbound.

Motorists in the Colorado Springs area are advised to take Highway 115 toward Penrose and then proceed east on US 50 toward the City of Pueblo.

Motorists traveling northbound are advised to exit I-25 at US 50/CO 47 and travel west toward CO 115. Motorists will then head north toward Colorado Springs.

KRDO is working to gather more information.