Cattle Roam Kansas City Streets After Semi-Truck Crash
Early Sunday, a semi-truck carrying over 120 cattle crashed in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The accident left cattle wandering highways and city streets, with authorities actively seeking to locate them.
“Officers have been working to locate the cows since before 5 am,” said Sergeant Phil DiMartino with the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) in an email to Newsweek. “Several cows remain unaccounted for” after “a crash involving a cow trailer.”
DiMartino stated he did not have an exact count of the cows still missing. The Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD) responded to the crash on Interstate 70 near Admiral Boulevard around 3 a.m., as reported by local station KSHB 41. Each vehicle involved in the crash had one person who was hospitalized with injuries.
The cattle truck fell from the bridge onto another vehicle, critically injuring those taken to the hospital, according to a fire department spokesperson. Some cattle perished in the incident, some remained inside the trailer, while many escaped.
The crash led officials to close the eastern section of the downtown loop as emergency crews worked on the wreck and searched for the loose animals, FOX4 Kansas City reported. The cattle were scattered over a three-mile area in the Kansas City metro, with sightings near Crown Center in Kansas City and extending to Kansas City, Kansas.
Additionally, the crash spilled diesel onto the highway, requiring clean-up efforts, as noted by KSHB 41, citing KCFD Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.
Search Efforts for Missing Cattle
KCPD called in extra resources for cattle wrangling, according to local media. Authorities employed drones and thermal imaging to aid in the search. Firefighters were observed trying to herd cattle near the highway, according to KSHB 41.
The authorities urged drivers to exercise caution while crews cleared the crash site and searched for the remaining cattle. Anyone spotting a cow was asked to contact the KCPD non-emergency line at 816-234-5111 or KCFD at 816-924-0600.