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Thousands Of Pounds Of Human Waste Smeared Across Freeway Near Lansing

LANSING (WWJ) - A crash involving a truck hauling human waste tied up traffic for hours in the Lansing area Friday, after thousands of pounds of waste spilled onto the freeway.

The northbound lanes of U.S. 127 were blocked at the Trowbridge Road exit, and traffic was being rerouted to I-496, following the accident that happened just after 5 a.m.

The cleanup took hours, with the freeway reopening just before 1:30 p.m.

Speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950, reporter Francesca Amiker of CBS affiliate WLNS said the two-compartment 18-wheeler was approaching a curve — just south of the Kalamazoo Street exit — when a tire blew out, causing the waste to shift to the second compartment.

human waste spill
(credit: WLNS)

[See more photos from WLNS HERE].

"The truck was carrying 50,000 pounds of waste, but that second half had 25,000 pounds of human waste and manure in the back; and so that smeared literally about 2,000 feet," Amiker said.

Amiker said three additional vehicles crashed while trying to avoid the accident scene.

"We had one woman I just spoke to, and she was driving on that curve — she didn't see it because police didn't have it blocked off yet —  so she slid into that, and then a motorcycle crashed into the back of her," Amiker said. "And then another truck didn't hit those two, but was also involved in some capacity in the accident."

Police said the drivers of the car and motorcycle suffered minor injuries.

For the latest from the roads, stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 during Traffic and Weather on the 8s, 24-hours a day. Check for recent incidents now on the CBS Detroit Traffic Page.

 

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