Science & Tech

Truck Full of ‘Slime Eels’ Overturns on Highway in Grossest Road Closure Ever

by Matthew Hart
Jul 14 2017 • 9:45 AM

Slime is such a cute little gimmick in pop culture, isn’t it? Celebrities getting slimed on stage? They’re smiling and giggling it’s so much fun! Slimer from Ghostbusters? Why, he’s the least frightening supernatural entity there is. But real slime in real life — that right there is straight up gross. Especially when its sneezed out of hundreds of hagfish holes and splayed across a highway causing a multiple-vehicle collision as well as the heartbreak of many Korean foodies.

Image: Twitter / Depoe Fire Dist.Yes, in what has got to be the single most disgusting road closure ever, The Oregonian reports that 7,500 pounds of hagfish, also known as “slime eels,” were thrown onto the U.S. 101 highway in Oregon when the truck carrying them couldn’t stop in time behind halting traffic causing it to flip over. The eels were subsequently eel-jected from their salt water tanks and strewn across the pavement, as were a handful of heavily damaged sedans.

Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured in the collision. Except for the eels. Most, if not all of them are probably dead. But alas, that was to be there fate anyway, as the truck was sending them on their way to be shipped to Korea, where they are considered a delicacy. Mmmmmm… spineless slime eels that sneeze out mucus from “invaginations” along their bodies.

Aside from those mucus-spewing invaginations (it’s a self-defense thing against predators), hagfish also have pairs of comb-shaped teeth that they use to feast on dead fish. Sound like something out of an ALIEN nightmare.

Image: YouTube / Smithsonian Channel

As for the clean-up, the Depoe Bay Fire District in Oregon posted to their twitter their methods for removing 7,500 pounds of slime eels from a highway, which appear to consist of hosing them off into the plants. Because who you gonna call when there’s a hagfish spill?! Some hungry raccoons and maybe, like, a bear?

In related news, campers driving along the 101 in Oregon may want to bring nose clamps for what is likely to be one hell of a smell coming from those rotting, sun-scorched invaginated eel carcasses.

What do you think about this slime eel spill? Eel-aborate on your thoughts in the comments below!

Images: Twitter / Depoe Bay Fire Dist.