A lot of things have fallen out of a lot of semi trucks- bees, dog food, beer and crabs to name a few- but the most recent spill left probably the slimiest mess seen on a highway in Portland. According to CBS News, a truck carrying live eels overturned late last week, covering passing cars in wriggling creatures and slime.
The driver said he hit the brakes and the weight of the 7,500 pounds of eels caused the truck to tip, dumping 13 shipping containers of eels to spill and causing a four car pileup with minor injuries. The worst part though was the thick white goo that accompanies the eels. People involved in the accident and rescue crews had to wade through it to assess the damage. Eels produce mucous from glands when they feel threatened. This kind of eel, known as a slime eel, are plentiful off the Oregon coast and caught because they are a delicacy in Korea and China. The eels were on their way to be shipped to Korea when the accident happened.
The road was closed for several hours so the fire department could use a bulldozer to clear the eels from Highway 101 and fire hoses were used to remove the slime.