Sneeze Causes Big Corn Syrup Spill, Miles-Long Backup

A sticky situation snarled traffic along a state highway yesterday.

State police say a tanker truck driver apparently blacked out after sneezing causing the vehicle to overturn, spilling corn syrup which blocked Interstate 70 in southwestern Pennsylvania, and snarled traffic on nearby Interstate 79.

Troopers say 52-year-old Billie Setser , of Carrollton, Ohio, was eastbound on I-70 near Washington, Pa., when he lost control of the rig about 2 p.m. Thursday. The truck went off the road, hit an embankment, rolled onto its side and slid, blocking both eastbound lanes.

Crews collected several hundred gallons of corn syrup in metal drums, as PennDOT workers put down anti-skid material to soak up what was left.

Eastbound traffic backed up about 13 miles. Interstate 79, which has an interchange near the site, had southbound traffic back up eight miles from the crash site about 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

The driver was hurt, but police didn't release details.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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