Morning commuters in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, hit an unusual roadblock on Friday: a whole lot of hot dogs.
A truckload of hot dogs spilled onto the Pennsylvania interstate after the truck carrying the franks had a mechanical failure, causing it to collide with a passenger car before scraping into a concrete barrier.
The barrier ripped the trailer open and spilled the hot dogs across Interstate 83.
Four people involved in the crash required medical attention, Shrewsbury Fire Company Chief Brad Dauberman told the Associated Press. None of the injuries were life threatening.
After the injured were tended to first responders were left picking up the dumped hot dogs off the highway.
Local officials called in a front loader to help scoop the hot dogs up and load them into a dump truck for disposal.
Dauberman told the AP that, despite the tedious work, the first responders still managed to find humor in the highway filled with hot dogs. He said his young daughter texted a photo to him showing a hotdog themed t-shirt.
He also said he learned a good deal about hot dogs during the morning excitement.
“I can tell you personally, hot dogs are very slippery,” Dauberman said. “I did not know that.”
The crash wasn’t as funny for the drivers trying to get to work on Friday morning. The crash caused significant traffic disruptions in both directions on Interstate 83, a major travel corridor in the region.
Jake Sitcosky, a Shrewsbury resident who was stuck on the highway, described the scene to Fox 43.
“We all came to a dead stop and I was wondering what was going on,” he said. “Then I saw some emergency vehicles… and hot dogs all over the road.”
Emily Randall, another driver caught up in the chaos, told the broadcaster that she and other drivers had to reverse away from the crash to take detours.
“I was sitting in traffic for a good 20 to 30 minutes before I finally made it to Shrewsbury,” she said.
She noted that the delay cost her business as she is a hair stylist who had to cancel early morning appointments due to the backup.
