75-vehicle pileup in Colorado injures 19

At least 19 people were injured when more than 75 vehicles crashed on Interstate 70 in Colorado, according to officials.

The crash was first reported at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday near the Eisenhower Tunnel, a major Interstate 70 route through the Rocky Mountains west of Denver, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office said an estimated 75 or more vehicles were involved. State patrol said the crash happened on the eastbound side of the highway near milepost 216.

A total of 19 people were transported from the scene with varying injuries, according to state patrol. Officials have not said how the crash unfolded.

The crash shut down all eastbound lanes for what authorities said would be four to six hours. On the westbound side, the left lane was closed for medical staging.

Images shared by the sheriff’s office showed heavy snow at the time of the crash, while photos released afterward by state patrol showed snowy shoulders and patches of black ice.

The Colorado State Patrol is leading the investigation.