Big rigs carry the strangest things. The "precious" cargo contained in these behemoths is usually hidden from the public, deemed unfit for civilian eyes. When these trucks tip over, though, all bets are off.
From chocolate floods to money storms, the spilled guts of big rigs have us laughing in disbelief. We thought they only carried fruit or gasoline. Trust us, all the accidents you're about to see would be tragic if they weren't so funny!
A McMess In Southern California
Photo Credit: YouTube
Here's one way to start a frenzy in sunny Southern California. You might think health-conscious Californians would be disgusted to see McDonald's french fries littering the freeways, but no one can resist their salty goodness.
The best part is these fries were frozen, anyone interested just had to get to the spill fast enough to stock up. Store them in your freezer and enjoy at your leisure. Just remember, McDonald's fries don't come salted, so when it comes time to season, don't be shy with the sodium snowfall! If you're the kind of person who likes dipping their fries in milkshakes, our next spill is going to make you very sad!
We Always Wanted A Road Made Of Chocolate!
Photo Credit: YouTube
Everyone's childhood dreams came true in Poland when this truck full of chocolate rolled over. Both sides of the freeway had to be closed, but at least people forced to wait weren't going to starve to death! The truck was carrying 12 tons of chocolate when it overturned, which of course melted in the warm spring air.
Because it would be unsanitary to indulge in the chocolate, workers closed the freeway for hours to clean up the glorious mess. Hilariously enough, firefighters were called to the scene to melt the chocolate to help speed up the cleaning process.
Holy Mackeral, Literally!
Photo Credit: Daily Mail
That's a whole lot of fish! This truck spilled its oceanic contents in Poland in 2012. Like its chocolate counterpart, the spill closed the freeway for hours. The smell, however, was nowhere nearly as good.
Reports from the cleanup said in some places fish piles were two feet deep. Most of the spill ended up in Gordan Flinn's field. The North Irish farmer probably wasn't too thrilled to have his home smell for weeks. Let's be honest, fish doesn't smell good, and it tends to linger. Coming up, the most "fallen soldiers" you've ever seen.
A Classic Hit And Beer Run
Photo Credit: Stumble Upon
When one truck hit another in the Netherlands a few years ago, 2,184 cases of beer spilled onto the freeway. An officer at the scene said it looked like a "sea of beer" as he checked his watch desperately waiting for the end of his shift. While most of the beer bottles broke, leaving the suds tainted, some survived, giving anyone driving past a reason to stop.
Of course, only one truck was left at the scene of the crime. The other truck drove off, attempting a hit and run. It failed, getting pulled over in Almelo. Next, this truck doesn't want you to taste the rainbow!
Driving On The Skittles Rainbow
Photo Credit: Motor 1
"While we don't know who did this, it is certainly clear that it may be difficult to 'Taste the Rainbow'" is what one officer said after a truck spilled its cargo of Skittles all over this freeway in Wisconsin. The candies were on their way to be used as cattle feed after being deemed unfit for human packaging.
Did we mention the only color in the truck was red? The story goes the truck was transporting the sweets in the rain. The water soaked through the boxes, melting the candies, and sending a river of red sugar onto the road. We guess the cows will have to get their sugar fix another way!
DeadpoolWould Approve Of This Spill
Photo Credit: Motor 1
If you love Deadpool, then this is the spill you'll hate you missed. A comic shipment fell roadside in 2016 when the truck carrying them was hit by another truck. The most notable comic about was Deadpool, but other titles were littered in the mix as well.
The accident happened around the same time the first Deadpool movie was being released, but that's only a coincidence. Not a publicity stunt. We think. Stranger things have happened to promote films though. Coming up, a great animal escape you never knew you wanted!
The Great Pork Escape!
Photo Credit: Wikimedia
Nope, you're not looking at a scene from Babe: Pig In The City. These pigs found freedom in the real world after the truck transporting them tipped over. We think they figured out how to heave their weight to one side to force the accident.
For those looking for a happy ending, several of the 2,200 pigs involved in the accident escaped. They now live a peaceful life in the forests of Ohio. Wait, does Ohio have forests? One day their harrowing adventure will be turned into a heartwarming children's movie. Around the bend, is that the ice cream man we hear?
Did Someone Call The Ice Cream Man?
Photo Credit: Twitter
That's a lot of spilled ice cream! There were some pretty upset children when they heard the story of the truck bringing ice cream to the store that didn't quite make it. Sadly, the truck overturned and spilled out 35,000 pounds of ice cream!
The truck in question was passing through Indianapolis on its way to a Kroger in 2013 when the accident happened. The ramp it was near had to close while the cleanup crew fought the urge to lick the ground clean.
Unleash The Ducks!
Photo Credit: Pinterest
This cargo ship turned the ocean into bath time when it spilled its contents into the deep blue sea. Nearly 29,000 plastic ducks, green frogs, and blue turtles found their way to freedom. This might be the most adorable ocean cleanup of all-time!
Of course, not all the plastic toys were reclaimed and are still out in the water the ocean today. Some have washed up on shores, leaving beachgoers wondering about their adventures. Some known sites the ducks, turtles, and frogs have been seen at are the Arctic ice pack, Hawaii, and the site where the Titanic sank!
Up next: what would you do if you saw money all over the road?
It's Raining... Money!
Twitter/@ABC7
'Tis the season for needing extra cash! And some commuters on a New Jersey highway got the chance to grab a bunch of it off the road after a Brinks armored truck spilled its cargo on Route 3 in East Rutherford on December 11, 2018.
It was an incredibly dangerous situation but some people were willing to risk it all for a little dough. One woman who watched the scene unfold said, "There's money all over Route 3, no joke. Can't make this up. I want to get out and go get money too, but I wouldn't dare!" Luckily, no one was injured. Authorities didn't announce if people got to keep the cash they had pocketed.
The Best Kind Of Crab Feast
Photo Credit: Brilio
Motorists couldn't believe their eyes in Summer 2013 when a truck carrying fresh crabs overturned on the freeway. The semi-truck was hauling seven tons worth of lump meat deliciousness at the time, and as you can see from the photo above, passersby had no problems pulling over and collecting dinner.
It's hard to blame them; crab is expensive! The total cost of the accident for the poor driver hauling the load was $176,000. Hopefully, he drove the McDonald's fry truck on his way home!
This Is What Caused The Potato Famine
Photo Credit: Twitter
Oh, how history could have been written differently! This potato truck was passing through our nation's capital when the spud hit the fan! Before the driver knew it, his cargo spilled onto the road. Potatoes were everywhere, and drivers were suddenly going nowhere.
We don't know where the potato truck was going, but the famine happening there is genuinely tragic. Also, the amount of potatoes lost on this list brings tears to our eyes. No potato should ever go uneaten! Next, a painting that Picasso would not approve of!
This Is Not What Picasso Had In Mind
Photo Credit: imgur
Only in Novia Scotia would a pick-up truck full of paint spill its colorful guts on the road. The truck was crossing a bridge at the time, making 400 feet of roadway look like the water beneath. That's must have been terrifying for anyone driving past!
Traffic for the morning commute was re-routed while cleanup took place. The most challenging part of the cleanup was making sure the slow-moving paint didn't reach any storm drains. If any had entered the water supply, it could have been devastating for the environment!
The Spiciest Roadway Of All Time
Photo Credit: Arkansas Department Of Transportation/Twitter
In June 2018, college students across the country had their hearts broken when a semi-truck hauling Fireball Whiskey crashed and spilled its cargo across the freeway. The 18-wheeler was struck by another truck, and an explosion followed. Police said there were no injuries.
While it might be sad to see so much whiskey lost to the pavement gods, let's be grateful it was only Fireball Whiskey. Now if it was Johnnie Walker Blue Label, we might be more upset. You know what goes great with whiskey? Frozen pizza!
Before There Was Whiskey There Was The Frozen Pizza Incident
Photo Credit: YouTube
About one year before a big rig spilled whiskey everywhere in Arkansas; another one gave free frozen pizzas to the world. The tractor full of pizza was taking Interstate 30 in Little Rock when it couldn't clear a bridge. Its top came off, and frozen pizza went everywhere!
To clean up the frozen pizzas, local law enforcement chose not to call starving college students. Instead, they used "front loaders" to pick up the pizza, then brought in a giant broom (not kidding) to sweep away the remaining debris.
Your College Greatest Hits Just Keep Coming
Photo Credit: Twitter
North Carolina almost had a college walkout when a truck carrying ramen noodles veered off the road and crashed in 2015. The driver of the truck admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel when he crashed into the guardrail and spilled over to the other side of the freeway.
College students searching for the dorm room staple at the grocery store were reportedly confused and refused to explore the fresh produce or meat aisles. Luckily Hot Pockets were still in stock in the freezer section. More food is on the way, but what kind?
40,000 Pounds Of Sausage In Sheboygan County
Photo Credit: JS Online
What's important is none of the 40,000 pounds of sausage spilled in 2009 in Sheboygan County was bacon. The bad news is we still lost 40,000 pounds of sausage to the wilderness. This is why truck drivers should pull over at 1 in the morning to sleep instead of playing destruction derby with each other!
The truck was hit from behind and rolled off the road, spilling every piece of meat it was carrying. The driver was unharmed in the process. The county closed the road for an undisclosed number of hours after to have an early morning barbeque.
There's Lost Money All Over The Road
Photo Credit: Metro
If the following stories are real, then one of the smartest things you can do on a road trip is stopping a lot and look for money. Since 2004 at least three trucks carrying large sums of money have crashed and spilled their riches across the United States.
In 2004 an armored truck caring $2 million worth of coins wrecked on a New Jersey Turnpike. One year a later another armored vehicle caught fire in Alabama and coughed up $800,000 worth of coins. And finally, in 2009 and truck crashed in Miami and released 3.5 million nickels. That's a lot of chump change!
The Maple Syrup Incident At Buttermilk Pike
Photo Credit: YouTube
We promise we're not making this up. In 2012 a truck full of maple syrup crushed at Buttermilk Pike. We have no further news of a nearby Pancake Avenue or Waffle Lane. There is not a lot of information available regarding the sticky situation, but we can tell you a few things.
The Buttermilk Pike in question is located in Kentucky. A quick google search for the term reveals there is another one in New York. Load up a truck with syrup, looks like we're going to Manhattan!
More Than Just Donuts Were Lost That Night
Photo Credit: Oddee
The year was 2011. A big rig driving I-74 in Illinois crashed, losing 20 tons of frozen food and meats in the process. The only picture we could find was of the donuts above, but rest assured, there was an entire freezer section worth of food that needed to be cleaned up.
The driver of the truck escaped the accident with non-life threatening injuries. The clean up took over seven hours. Workers probably had to go through to figure out what they could take home with them. Anytime we can avoid the grocery store we do!
The Scariest Spill Of All Time
Photo Credit: Oddee
Before we even begin, a lot of people got stung in the process of cleaning up this mess. It was not a pleasant scene in Idaho when a truck carrying honey and 14 million bees crashed. The brave men and women who helped clean up the mess were thanked with countless stings.
We're amazed anyone even volunteered to help clean this up. If we saw this happen on the news, we'd move a state over. Bees are no joke, and 14 million of them is a set up for the scariest horror film we don't want to be a part of!
That's A Whole Lot Of Green Beans
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
In September 2014 a truck was driving through Surrey when it tipped over and spilled thousands of vegetables all over the highway. This might be the healthiest cargo load spill on our list.
We're pretty sure this is what it looked like under the dinner table when we were children, just a massive mess of green beans we were trying to hide from our parents. There had to be millions of green beans from this spill 2014 so many that it almost looks like grass lining the side of the road.
Holy Mackerel - Literally
Photo Credit: Pinterest
In January 2015, a truckload of Mackerel threw thousands of fish across a grassy area. People gathered and quickly started grabbing the fish. They took the mackerel home and cooked them up for dinner.
The spill occurred in Belfast, Ireland and the truck driver apparently didn't realize what had happened. The situation forced the government to warn people taking the fish that sanitation concerns should keep them from eating the fish. That's one fish fry we don't want to be invited to anytime soon.
A Giant Does Of Vitamin C
Photo Credit: BuzzFeed
In September 2014 a giant truck full of oranges spilled onto the road in San Diego, California. The truck overturned and by the time California Highway Patrol showed up, thousands of oranges remained littered on the road.
You know those fruits that are discarded at the grocery store because they don't quite fit the quality standard that grocers are looking for? Times that by tens of thousands and you have this unfortunate but also very healthy accident.
Flaming Avocados Dumped Out Of This Truck
Photo Credit: YouTube
In December 2017, a trucker was driving through Texas on Interstate 35E when 40,000 avocados were involved in an accident. In a moment of sheer terror, the avocados caught on fire and firefighters were called in.
The accident was so bad that the interstate was closed down for most of the day as the delicious food was scorched to a crisp. Who says this wonderful food item can't be bad for your health. It's all about perspective.
20 Carts Full Of Cookie Dough
Photo Credit: Pender EMS & Fire, Inc/Facebook
North Carolina's Highway 17 was littered with 20 carts full of fresh cookie dough during an accident on May 15, 2018. As you can see from the photo, it was a massive mess that blocked traffic.
The accident occurred when a truck carrying the cookie dough accelerated too fast to make a green light. In total 20 rolling carts of dough fell out of the back of the truck. Thankfully nobody on the busy street was hurt but they were probably shocked by the sight of all that fresh cookie dough littering the street.
A Truck Full Of Corn Dogs Couldn't Stick On The Road
Photo Credit: Twitter / WAFB
A truck driver in Shreveport, Louisiana lost control of his semi-truck and overturned, spilling corndogs across I-220 West. Drivers were forced to detour and it took most of the morning to pick up the giant mess that occurred.
It might not be the craziest spill on our list but a lot of people were probably feeling the urge to play carnival games or visit a hot dog on a stick after this mess was spotted.
A Colorful Truck Spill That's Almost Art
Photo Credit: craftbattles
We don't know where this colorful truck spill occurred but it was certainly impossible to ignore after it occurred. A truck carrying what appears to be five-gallon buckets of paint flipped over and the buckets burst open.
The paint started to slide down the road, causing a unique rainbow of colors. We can only imagine how much of a pain it was to turn this road back to its original color. It's really amazing where you can find art even when you're not looking for it.
A Giant Scrambled Mess
Photo Credit: Asiantown
Imagine driving down the street and all of a sudden you are met with a lake of scrambled eggs. That's what happened when this truck turned over and spilled thousands of eggs onto the roadway. This wasn't even the first time an egg truck has turned over.
Anyone who cooks with eggs knows they can be slippery and nearly impossible to corral when they break free of their container. I'd hate to be the person responsible for trying to clean up this mess. Apparently, even if your eggs aren't all in one basket they can cause quite a shakeup.
'Crappy' Way To Start The Day, Says One Man Affected By This Spill
Photo credit: Twitter / ChattFireDept
Treated solid waste, certified as commercial-grade fertilizer but still smelly, spilled out of a big rig in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The public was assured that there was no risk of contamination from the stinky mess.
Local resident Bradley Robinson was not amused by the spill. "A crappy way to start my Friday," he told reporters. "There were piles that were this big and up near where the truck was, he had a pile that was really big. That first initial one, I kind of chopped it down for everybody."
Hope Insurance Covers This One...
Photo credit: Twitter / DepoeBayFire
Seriously, we'd love to be the insurance agent who handled the call from this vehicle's owner. What you see here is a car that has been completely slimed with hagfish, a type of eel. They're considered a delicacy in the kitchen but not so much on the roadway.
A semi-truck carrying 7,500 pounds of the fish (which were eventually going to be shipped to Korea) was forced to hit the brakes abruptly when passing through a construction zone. Unfortunately for everyone involved, 13 containers of the fish spilled onto the highway in the process. You won't believe this next spill...
This Is A Couch Potato's Dream Come True
Photo credit: YouTube / FloridaHighwayPatrol
In 2016, two big rigs collided in Melbourne, Florida. You won't believe what they were carrying. One of the trucks was full of beer and the other was loaded with potato chips. It sounds like a match made in heaven, except none of the munchies could be saved.
A spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol said, "All of the products will be thrown away. they can't take the risk of them having some type of internal damage. They're still trying to get the chips and beer out of there." Too bad for anyone hoping for a free snack.
Pears For Everyone
Photo credit: Huaxi100.com
In January 2018, a big rig carrying pears crashed in China. The result was a spill involving 20 tons of the coveted fruit. Locals soon found out and made a bee-line for the wreck site.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, "The villagers were well-organized: some filled the bags with pears, others loaded these in nearby cars and vans, while others drove the fruit back to the village." It turned out that the fruit was too damaged to sell, anyway, so the pears' owner said it was OK for people to take them.
Yogurt Responsible For Shutting Down Multiple Lanes In Toronto
Photo credit: Twitter / OPP_HSD
Well, this is sad news for all you yogurt lovers out there. This truck was carrying a load of yogurt (no word on the flavor) down a busy section of Highway 401 in Toronto when disaster struck. According to witnesses, the big rig sideswiped some support posts for an electronic sign.
In the process, the truck's entire side was ripped open and its precious load of yogurt was spilled. This was one rush hour that witnesses won't soon forget.
A Spill With A Happy Ending
Photo source: YouTube / NBC Bay Area
Just before Thanksgiving in 2014, the unthinkable happened: a truck carrying a load of 25,000 pounds of frozen turkeys flipped over after a too-fast turn. The turkeys were sent spilling all over the busy roadway near Oakland, California.
There was a happy ending here, though. The turkeys were too damaged to sell, so instead they got donated to the Alameda County Food Bank, whose spokesperson said, "receiving this volume of meat protein is rare for us any time of year 2013 and a donation like this simply couldn2019t come at a better time." He continued, "this is going to add a significant helping of holiday joy to thousands of households throughout our community.201d
Lego All Over The Road
Photo credit: Facebook / Tiffany Lantz
We all know how much it hurts to step on a Lego block in bare feet. But how many of us know what it's like to drive over a whole bunch of Legos? People who were driving down Interstate 79 in West Virginia on March 6, 2013 got a chance to find out.
This road "block" wasn't the result of a semi truck spill, but rather a private passenger vehicle. The family inside had their Legos in a crate strapped to the roof, and it became dislodged, spilling the blocks everywhere. A woman named Tiffany Lantz took responsibility for the situation and apologized to everyone who was inconvenienced.
Poor Fido
Photo credit: Fairfax Media/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Now, this is an unusual sight. Here's a semi truck in Australia that has tipped over and spilled a load of... processed meat. Yuck. This meat was en route to a processing plant, where it would be used to make dog food.
This unfortunate situation took place in Australia on June 25, 2006. But perhaps the loss of meat caused a lot of dogs to convert to vegetarianism?
Aloha, Staten Island!
Photo credit: Jeffrey Greenberg/UIG via Getty Image
Perhaps the trucking gods felt that Staten Island, New York, needed some sweet Hawaiian vibes on May 31, 2014. That's the day that a tractor-trailer full of pineapples overturned on the Staten Island Expressway, sending its load all over the road.
Traffic was shut down for several hours as a result. A second car was involved in the wreck but that vehicle's driver only received minor injuries, luckily.
But What About All The Avocado Toast?
Photo credit: YouTube / NBC4 WCMH-TV Columbus
Woah, this had to have seemed extra tragic to all those dedicated people who eat avocado toast every morning. Not to mention people who love guacamole on everything. On December 28, 2017, a semi-truck carrying 40,000 pounds of the green goodness crashed and caught on fire.
This took place near Forreston, Texas. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze, but all those precious avocadoes were lost. Fortunately no human were injured in the process. The above photo shows the last of the cleanup efforts.
A Lumbering Cleanup Effort
Photo credit: Gordon Chibroski/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
This looks like a bad case of the Mondays, and it really did happen on Monday, May 12, 2003. The semi-truck seen here crashed and overturned on I-295, near the exit to the Falmouth access road of the Maine Turnpike.
We hope the lumber was salvageable. That's a lot of good wood to go to waste! Lumber spills are apparently pretty common in that part of the country, with one taking place in 2010 and another as recently as 2015.
Paint Just Can't Be Contained, Apparently
Photo credit: Twitter / JacksonCoAL_EMA
Who would have guessed that paint spills were so common in the trucking industry? In July of 2018, yet another big rig lost its load of paint, causing a messy spill. This one took place in Jackson County, Alabama. The 18-wheeler carrying the paint overturned, causing the paint to leak from the truck.
Drivers were rerouted for the morning-long ordeal as crews worked to contain the white mess.