A tractor trailer carrying pigs crashed during rush hour early Thursday morning.
It happened in Wilmer, Texas on Interstate 45 at approximately 6:30 a.m.
According to CBS, the tractor trailer was traveling on I-45 when it struck the center median and flipped onto its side. The impact of the rollover caused the truck to burst into flames.
This is unreal…. I-45 SHUT DOWN in Wilmer.. Big rig that crashed was carrying pigs… pic.twitter.com/1Jjv3jONdt
— Madison Adams (@MadisonAdamsTV) June 29, 2017
The driver was able to exit the wrecked truck before it caught on fire, and was not injured.
Another semi truck and a car were also involved in the wreck, but no injuries were reported.
The trailer of the semi truck was damaged in the crash, allowing for its cargo of pigs to escape the truck and roam the highway.
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department livestock unit rounded up the loose pigs while a hazardous materials crew dealt with the bodies of the pigs that were killed in the crash.
“We had a total of 195 [pigs on the semi]. We do not know how many dead-loss or how many ran off,” said Lieutenant Eric Pon of the Wilmer Police Department.
“The biggest challenge we’ve had so far was just corralling the pigs, keeping ‘em from getting into oncoming traffic and getting run over — but I do believe we’ve got all of them,” Pon continued.
Pon says that at one point, the pigs were spread out as far as four miles down the highway.
Officials are still waiting for the company to send another trailer.
I-45 North AND South CLOSED in Wilmer Hutchins area!! Take Wintergreen or Belt Line West to 342/Dallas Ave. pic.twitter.com/WXiZFq0ns4
— Madison Adams (@MadisonAdamsTV) June 29, 2017
As of 8:00 a.m., both the north and south sides of I-45 remain closed in the Wilmer-Hutchins area and are expected to remain closed for hours.
Motorists are encouraged to use Wintergreen or Belt Line West to 342/Dallas Avenue as an alternate route.
Update (11:16 p.m.) :
As of 11:00 a.m., the northbound lanes have been reopened, but the southbound lanes of I-45 remain closed.
BREAKING: I-45 Northbound lanes are OPEN! Southbound lanes remain closed pic.twitter.com/RkFVdERyCI
— Madison Adams (@MadisonAdamsTV) June 29, 2017
