Officials: Cows block Florida’s Turnpike after truck fire

ST. CLOUD, Fla. (AP) — Traffic on Florida’s Turnpike stopped moooooving for several hours Monday after a cattle hauler caught fire, and dozens of cows blocked the roadway, authorities said.

The hauler’s semi-cab began to catch fire shortly before noon near St. Cloud, south of Orlando, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

The driver, a 47-year-old Alabama man, pulled the truck over to the turnpike’s outside shoulder, officials said. He then opened the cattle trailer door, allowing about 70 cows to escape the smoke and flames.

The local fire department responded and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported. The cattle hauler was towed from the scene.

Florida’s Turnpike was closed in both directions and traffic was diverted for nearly four hours as officials dealt with the fire and rounded up the cows.

Officials did not immediately say what caused the truck fire.