Greased pig (parts) shut Chicago expressway

Sand, foam and rock salt brought in to soak up slippery mess

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updated 12:46 a.m. ET July 2, 2007

CHICAGO - A busy section of highway was closed for seven hours Sunday after a truck tipped over and spilled pig ears, pig feet and grease.

The greasy pig parts created slippery conditions and forced the closure of northbound lanes of the Edens Expressway. The lanes were reopened Sunday afternoon.

A sudden shift in the truck’s load caused it to tip onto its side near an entrance ramp in Skokie, according to Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Mike Claffey. The Edens Expressway connects downtown Chicago to its northern suburbs.

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No injuries were reported.

Hassan Ware, 39, of the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, was cited for driving too fast for conditions and spilling his load on a highway, according to state police.

Transportation department workers used sand to absorb the grease, Claffey said. They also sprayed a foam usually used in hazardous materials situations and spread rock salt to provide more traction.

“This is obviously something that’s really hard to clean up,” Claffey said.