Truck hauling chicken waste spills on I-40 causing holiday traffic backups

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Major traffic delays are forming on eastbound Interstate 40 in Burke County after a truck hauling chicken waste spilled some of its load on the roadway.

Burke County EMS was on the scene of several crashes when the truck carrying 70,000 pounds of chicken waste slammed on its brakes.

DOT officials said the right lane was closed near Exit 116 (Old North Highway 10) near Connelly Springs and was expected to reopen around 3:30 p.m.

One of those first responders was knocked to the ground when the waste came flying out of the big rig.

Lenoir Houston showed us the inside of his car where some of the chicken waste landed.  He has responded to more than 1,000 crashes as part of “Burke REACT.”

The organization helps direct traffic around crashes.

Houston was hit by the waste from the truck.

“I didn’t see it,” Houston said. “It knocked me down like this. I was reaching here, like this, and when it hit me, it just knocked me down.”

The truck had left Case Farms in Morganton.

The driver said he tried to avoid another car that stopped on the interstate for the other accidents.

An ambulance and fire truck that were already on scene also got hit by the airborne waste.

Check back with wsoctv.com for more information. 

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