Portsmouth Traffic Snarled when Crab-Carrying Truck Topples

PORTSMOUTH, RI—The cause of crabby motorists stuck in traffic in Portsmouth this morning?

Crabs.

A truck carrying crabs was involved in a crash with a passenger car on West Main Road, according to Deputy Chief Michael P. O'Brien of the Portsmouth Fire Department.

The truck tipped over as a result, sending crabs into the roadway.

Traffic was jammed up for more than an hour as crews cleaned up the scene. The traffic backed up enough to cause jams on numerous side streets along busy West Main Road, which runs the length of Aquidneck Island through Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport.

Backups and traffic aside, nobody was injured in the accident and all crabs were accounted for.

"No injuries, escapees or pinched fingers," O'Brien said.

Residents said they had to find alternate routes to get around the confluence of crabs and emergency vehicles.

"Never saw so many tow trucks in my life at one accident!" Randall Watt said in a post on the department's Facebook page.

"I had to reroute myself this morning due to this," said Katie Waite.

Photos courtesy: Portsmouth Fire Department