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50000 lbs of potatoes spill on North Carolina interstate when driver falls asleep at the wheel.
A portion of Interstate 77 in North Carolina will be shut down for hours early Friday after a tractor-trailer crashed, spilling thousands of potatoes across the highway.
A WSOC photographer was traveling behind the truck and witnessed the crash around 2 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-77 near West Boulevard.
#Breaking I-77 S closed near exit 9. Truck crash, spilled potatoes on road Take service rd to Wilkinson #Wakeupwith9 pic.twitter.com/KoHQv055cB
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) May 6, 2016
The impact was so violent that the engine flew out of the big rig.
Two other drivers who were following the truck jumped out and rescued the truck driver, who was rushed to Carolinas Medical Center.
It was not immediately clear how badly he was hurt.
The driver told rescuers and state troopers that he fell asleep behind the wheel.
No other vehicles were involved in crash, which damaged about 20 feet of guard rail and concrete barrier.
Officials said the interstate would be closed through the morning rush hour while crews worked to clean-up the 50,000 pounds of potatoes that the semi was carrying. Clean-up crews hoped to have one lane open by 5 a.m. and all lanes open by 8 a.m.
#Breaking I-77 S closed near exit 9. Truck crash, spilled potatoes on road Take service rd to Wilkinson #Wakeupwith9 pic.twitter.com/KoHQv055cB
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) May 6, 2016
Agencies/Canadajournal
