In what must have been quite an unfortunate sight, an errant tractor-trailer spread its cargo of hotdogs all over Interstate-83 this morning. This crash, only a few miles north of the Maryland state line, wreaked havoc amid the Friday retail rush. The damage has spread since the train derailed near Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, causing serious injuries and requiring an enormous cleanup effort to start and end.
The mechanical failure of the tractor-trailer led to an out of control crash between the tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle. At least four people were reported injured, but officials later said that injuries were non-life-threatening. These emergency responders swiftly moved in to care for those injured by the attack and extinguish any flames.
Eyewitnesses recounted the strange scene as d aas hotdogs rolled over the highway, cooking in the summer heat. As Shrewsbury Fire Company Chief Brad Dauberman told the Baltimore Sun, the blast was jarring and unexpected. He said, “Once those leave out of the back of the truck and hit the ground, that’s dunnage, all trash, and it’s hot still.”
Crews had to work quickly to recover the lost frankfurters. By nightfall an ugly concoction had turned that stretch of highway into a treacherous runoff for unwitting motorists. Chief Dauberman noted the difficulties presented by the situation: “I can tell you personally, hot dogs are very slippery.”
The impact of the incident set off a domino effect. Many local commuters suffered extensive delays from both the accident itself and the continuing cleanup operation. Officials asked drivers to be careful when driving through the impacted area.