Xenia Township officials say nearly 1,100 piglets may have died in a Monday night crash on U.S. Route 35. A semi-trailer was carrying 2200 piglets when it lost control, crashed into a guardrail and lost its cargo.
Township Administrator, Alan Stock says the situation was a serious one.
"When you think about 2200 pigs, that can be humorous," He said. "but in all actuality this was a very large scale accident that shut down a highway for eight hours. So the first thing that we’re looking for is public safety.”
The surviving pigs were taken to the Greene County Fairgrounds where Stock says they received medical attention.
About 70 nearby residents and law enforcement personnel spent Monday night looking for surviving piglets. About 35 were found on Tuesday. The truck was traveling from South Carolina to Indiana.
The driver of the truck was treated for injuries and released from the hospital, as was a female passenger. The crash is still being investigated though that portion of U.S. 35 is now open.
