'Chickens Everywhere' Following Big Rig Crash

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA —All lanes of westbound Interstate Highway 80 in San Pablo were reopened just before noon Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Westbound I-80 was shut down for several hours following an early-morning crash involving a big rig destroyed by fire. The big rig was hauling chickens, according to the CHP.

The CHP said the collision was first reported at 3:42 a.m. at San Pablo Dam Road in San Pablo.

Contra Costa County Fire Protection District crews arrived at the scene at 3:55 a.m. to find the big rig hauling the poultry fully engulfed in flames and "chickens everywhere" throughout the collision scene, fire district spokesman Steve Hill said.

The big rig driver was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

The CHP said vehicles were being guided off the freeway at the San Pablo Dam Road off-ramp and re-entering the freeway on the San Pablo Dam Road on-ramp.

Meanwhile, activists from In Defense of Animals and Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) rescued three of the chickens, saying in a news release, “The crash was a miracle for these three birds who have a second chance at life. We understand that hundreds of surviving hens have been returned to the farm: we call on the farmer to show mercy and spare these animals from being sent to their deaths a second time.”

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story