Shropshire Star

Public told to stop eating fried chicken spilled on road by lorry

To do so would be a crime and ‘unsafe’, Cherokee County Sherrif’s Office said.

Published
A chicken tender and the upturned lorry

US police have warned members of the public not to eat chicken tenders which spilled on to a highway after a lorry overturned.

Motorists had been stopping to pick up the fried chicken treats, which were scattered when an 18-wheeled vehicle tipped over on Alabama’s Highway 35, but were later told it was “unsafe” and a criminal offence.

In a widely shared Facebook post, the Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency said: “The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is asking that no-one try to stop to get the chicken tenders that were spilled from the 18-wheeler accident last night on Highway 35.

“You’re creating a traffic hazard! It’s a crime to impede the flow of traffic.

“Those cases have been on the ground for over 24 hours and are unsafe to consume.”

The public notice was met with mockery by many on social media.

“The fact that you have to post this is killin me” wrote one Facebook user, while another said: “So, the 5 second rule doesn’t apply to this?”

Others appeared interested in visiting the chicken spillage, saying: “What mile marker is this at? Asking for a friend.”

A fork  hovering over chicken tenders
(Aonip/Getty Images)

Another simply wrote: “Salmonella for you!”

The Cherokee authority later said the scene had been cleaned and the road reopened.

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