Over 20 tons of squid spill onto Rhode Island road blocking traffic for 8 hours

The driver and a passenger were not injured in the incident.

August 18, 2026, 3:03 PM

A tractor-trailer overturned on its side releasing over 20 tons of squid onto a roadway in Narragansett, Rhode Island, on Sunday, according to state police.

The tractor-trailer tipped over and turned onto its side at about 9:30 a.m., according to the Narragansett Police Department.

A tractor-trailer overturned on its side releasing over 20 tons of squid onto a roadway in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
WJAR

The tractor-trailer had been "negotiating" a turn when the trailer became dislodged from the cab and overturned onto its side, obstructing all lanes of travel on Pt. Judith Road, police said.

"At the time of the incident, the fully loaded trailer was transporting squid to a processing facility out of town," police said in a statement. "A substantial portion of the squid fell onto the roadway."

The spillage resulted in "significant traffic disruptions and an extended road closure," police said.

A tractor-trailer overturned on its side releasing over 20 tons of squid onto a roadway in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
WJAR

The intersection reopened to traffic later that night, around 5:15 p.m.

The driver was cited for failure to secure a load by the Rhode Island State Police. 

The operator and a passenger in the tractor-trailer were not injured in the incident, police said.

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