Slaughterhouse waste causes hours-long closure of German autobahn

A truck carrying slaughterhouse waste spilled its contents onto the A33 autobahn near Osnabrück, leading to a complete closure of the highway for many hours.

The incident occurred around 12:55 p.m. when the 32-year-old driver had to brake suddenly due to traffic. The slaughterhouse waste, transported in troughs on the trailer, shifted and spilled onto the roadway. Subsequent vehicles drove over the waste, further spreading it across approximately 100 meters of the highway.

Authorities believe that the warm and humid weather significantly contributed to the situation. The waste had apparently fermented and expanded in volume due to the high temperatures, exacerbating the mess. The highway section remained fully closed until approximately 10:30 p.m. to allow for thorough cleaning and removal of the contaminated material.

The spilled waste was transferred to another truck. The unusual and unpleasant cargo caused significant disruption, highlighting the challenges faced by cleanup crews dealing with such hazardous and messy materials on major transport routes.