More than 20 tons of squid spilled on to Rhode Island highway during traffic accident
Sunday incident created ‘significant traffic disruptions’ and a foul odor as crews worked to clear cephalopod remains More than 20 tons of squid spilled on to a Rhode Island highway during a traffic accident, creating hours of delays for motorists and a foul stench as crews worked in baking sunshine to scrape up the remains of the fast-decaying cephalopods. The incident occurred Sunday morning in…
A massive squid haul spilled onto a Rhode Island highway during a traffic accident, causing hours of traffic delays and a pungent smell as crews cleared the cephalopod remains. On Sunday morning in Narragansett, the tractor-trailer transporting squid failed to make a turn and tipped onto its side, spilling a significant portion of the cargo onto the roadway, according to the town’s police department.
The fully loaded trailer was en route to a processing facility outside the town. The incident led to substantial traffic disruptions and a prolonged road closure from around 9:30 am until 5:15 pm. As afternoon temperatures soared above 80F (27C), fire department personnel joined the cleanup efforts in the sweltering heat, using mechanical loaders to scrape the decaying squid off the road surface.
One local resident, Richard Stevens, described the odor, noting that squid has a strong smell that can become particularly foul if left on the road for an extended period. Neither the driver nor the passenger in the truck sustained injuries. The driver was cited by Rhode Island state police for failing to secure the load properly.
Rhode Island is a key player in the commercial squid farming industry, with Narragansett serving as its center. Millions of pounds of longfin and shortfin squid pass through Rhode Island ports each year, destined for distribution across the nation, with calamari holding the distinction of being the state's official appetizer.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
