A waste management truck transporting dead ducks infected with H5N1 bird flu crashed into a ditch along U.S. Route 33 near Churubusco, Indiana, Friday morning, prompting a hazardous materials response and closure of the highway in both directions.
Emergency Response and Safety Measures
The Whitley County Emergency Management Agency reported the incident occurred just after 8 a.m. The scene was secured with a 100-foot safety perimeter as a precaution, and no public health threats have been identified at this time. Multiple local agencies, including Smith Township Fire Department, Whitley Sheriff Department, and Churubusco Police Department, responded to manage the situation.
Officials advised motorists to avoid the area near 650 East and U.S. 33 north of Churubusco due to the emergency response. Cleanup efforts are being coordinated by Waste Management, Maple Leaf Farms, and the Indiana Board of Animal Health, with a specialized team scheduled to handle the carcass removal.
Details on the Bird Flu and Transported Ducks
The ducks had been collected from several Maple Leaf Farms locations in Northern Michigan and were confirmed to be diseased with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. This strain of bird flu has caused ongoing outbreaks across the U.S. and has led to the deaths of hundreds of millions of birds in recent years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that while H5N1 is highly contagious among birds and some mammals, transmission to humans is rare and typically requires close, unprotected exposure to infected animals.
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