Semi-truck overturns while on Seattle’s viaduct, spills crabs
Apr 4, 2016, 3:05 PM | Updated: Jan 25, 2018, 6:15 pm
A semi-truck overturned, spilling its load of frozen crab while traveling on Seattle’s viaduct Monday afternoon, putting drivers in a bit of a pinch. The incident left the trailer hanging over the side of the raised roadway, spilling boxes and crabs onto the street.
It took four hours for crews to clear the scene and reopen traffic in one northbound lane.
The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. in the northbound lane of SR 99 after Atlantic Street when the truck lost control and flipped on its side. No one was hurt. Traffic backed up at least three miles behind the truck. Traffic on the West Seattle Bridge was impacted as a result.
A tow truck was called to right the trailer and tow away the semi. Once the trailer was righted, its side split open, spewing boxes onto the highway and onto Railroad Way below. The boxes appeared to be carrying frozen crabs, according to KIRO 7 reporters.
A total of five dump trucks were used to haul away the boxes from the road.
A similar incident occurred on the viaduct in March 2015 which spilled fish all over the roadway. That crash took nine hours to clear.
“I certainly believe this was a better coordinated response than last year,” Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole said of Monday’s incident.
Cracked crab from the sky. No one hurt but the crabs pic.twitter.com/uwib9iPCZ5
— TmatsuzawaKIRO7 (@Tmatsuzawa40) April 5, 2016
