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Trailer-Trailer Loaded With Chocolate Rolls Over, Closes Highway

Story Published: Jun 27, 2012 at 12:46 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 27, 2012 at 7:30 PM EDT

A tractor-trailer loaded with 20 tons of Hershey chocolate rolled over and closed a section of Route 11 in the town of Stockholm for about three hours Wednesday morning.

Officials say the highway was closed between routes 420 and 11C from shortly after 8 a.m. until nearly 11 a.m.

State police said even though the road was open, traffic was still slow because crews were offloading the 40,000 pounds of chocolate chips from the damaged semi.

The chocolate, which was contained in boxes, was on its way from Vermont to Utah.

No injuries were reported.

Officials said the rig's operator, 43 year old Rodney Plemons of Foley, Georgia drifted off the shoulder of the road.

When he attempted to bring the truck back on the highway, the load shifted, flipping the trailer onto its side.

Plemons wasn't injured, but volunteers from several local fire departments offloaded the cargo.
 
"It's something we've never really seen in this area yet. I'm sure it's happened before in other places, but it's definitely a game changer and thankfully, we were prepared for that," said TJ Goodrich of the Brasher-Winthrop Fire Department.
 
Hershey company officials will decide whether they can salvage any of the 20 tons of chocolate.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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