- A trucker hit several trees and spilled about 7 tons of hot dog filler in Pennsylvania on Friday.
- Local news reported that the driver had faulty brakes and is facing a citation for speeding.
- In the past, trucking accidents have caused spills of things like whale guts to molasses.
A truck accident caused over 7 tons or about 15,000 pounds of hot dog filler to spill onto a highway in Pennsylvania on Friday.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Tyler Martier told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the "violent stopping motion" of the tractor trailer caused the hot dog mixture to "catapult" on to the roadway. The hot dog filling, which is typically made of about half pulverized beef, pork, or chicken mixed with fats and preservatives, appears to have exploded out of its packaging upon impact.
The accident took place on I-70 in Rostraver, Pennsylvania. The Rostraver Central Fire Department said on Facebook that it was forced to bring the roadway down to one lane. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that traffic was at a standstill for about five hours following the accident.
The driver was speeding when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into multiple trees near the side of the road, the local news outlet reported.
The Rostraver Central Fire Department and Pennsylvania State Police did not respond to a request for comment from Insider ahead of publication. Insider was unable to reach the driver for comment.
"Further investigation after the crash revealed that multiple brakes on the vehicle were completely inoperable, resulting in a total loss of stopping power," Martier told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The trucker and a passenger were treated at the scene, according to the fire department's report on Facebook. Local news said the two individuals had minor injuries and declined transportation to a nearby hospital.
The police told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the driver will face multiple citations, including one for speeding.
The accident is far from the first to cause an unsightly spill. The nature of trucking means that drivers haul all manner of products. Trucking accidents have caused spills of materials like whale guts to molasses, glue, or synthetic blood. In December, a semi-truck crash caused 20,000 pounds of raw beef to cover a highway in South Dakota.