6 of the Weirdest HGV Spills

Of course, all the HGV drivers we train are incredibly safe and careful drivers, and we’re very proud to say so but, nevertheless, there have been some HGV-related accidents in the news now and then.

One of the things that can happen when an HGV has an accident is that the cargo can be spilt over the road and surrounding area. Considering the many different things HGVs are asked to transport, this has led to some strange and interesting spillages around the World.

Here are some of the strangest.

£1m in cash

An accident in Swindon left the HGV cargo of a million pounds in coins scattered across the road. The HGV is reported to have shunted at a roundabout, spilling its cargo in the process. Armed police were called in to guard the valuable debris to stop anyone making off with it before the clean-up could be completed.

Glue

The last thing drivers need all over the road they’re trying to use is a 22-tonne coating of glue. Unfortunately that’s what they got when an HGV carrying a haul of glue spilt its load near Sanquhar. Before highways staff could begin cleaning up the spillage, they had to first find out what kind of glue it was and whether or not it was hazardous. The safety of the glue was an important factor for the safety of clean-up crews and vital information considering the glue was spilling into watercourses and drains.

Fortunately, the glue was discovered to be water-based and non-hazardous, otherwise, the effects could have been even worse. After several hours and a 50-mile diversion, the road finally reopened, but the glue didn’t fully wash away for many months after the accident.

Mackerel

The smell of a single fish can be very unpleasant, so the stench from a lorry load of mackerel must have been completely overpowering when it spilt all over a road in Belfast. That didn’t stop residents from collecting the fish in bags to eat later, despite warnings from the authorities that the fish could have become contaminated after being in contact with the road.

Marmite

The M1 came to a standstill in South Yorkshire when more than 20 tonnes of Marmite was spilt by a tanker late one evening. A clean-up operation took all night to complete, but it’s estimated that only half of the drivers who were held up were annoyed about the situation, while the other half loved it.

A whole bakery

Unlucky drivers lost their load of doughnuts, chocolate cake, cinnamon rolls and other baked goods all over the road in Illinois. Commuters who were held up by the spillage were probably very pleased, as breakfast would have been free for them that day.

Bull semen

One very unfortunate driver managed to spill a cargo of bull semen in Nashville, Tennessee. The driver had vanished by the time the vats were discovered, by which time they’d started to cause a terrible smell. The vats were estimated to be worth around £48,000 altogether according to cattle breeding experts, but we think it’s unlikely any looters arrived on the scene to help themselves in this particular instance.