Thousands of M&M bags spill onto New Jersey highway after truck crash
A two-truck crash on Route 80 in Warren County spilled thousands of candy bags onto the westbound lanes; drivers were uninjured and lanes were closed for cleanup and investigation.
Two tractor-trailers collided on Route 80 in northwestern New Jersey on Monday night, sending thousands of bags of M&Ms cascading onto the westbound lanes near the two-mile marker in Knowlton Township, Warren County. Authorities said the crash occurred at about 10:17 p.m. when the truck carrying the candy struck another similarly sized vehicle that was parked on the shoulder. The impact tore open both box trailers, scattering bags across the roadway as motorists pulled to avoid the debris.
Crews were initially summoned for reports of a fire, but investigators determined there was no fire at the scene. The New Jersey State Police closed the westbound lanes while emergency medical services evaluated the two drivers. Both operators refused treatment and were not transported to the hospital, according to authorities. The crash prompted a cleanup operation as crews worked to clear the roadway and recover the damaged trailers, with Westbound traffic remain restricted through the night.
Social media posts on the Knowlton Fire and Rescue Facebook page included lighthearted remarks about peanut allergies and the unusual scene, as some commenters joked about the candy spill. Officials did not comment on those reactions as the incident remained under investigation.
The incident in New Jersey comes after a sequence of cargo-spill episodes in recent weeks across the United States. In early September, a semi-truck crash on Highway 69 near Hillside, Colorado, dumped more than 100 boxes of sweet corn onto the roadway. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office described residents stopping by the fire station to collect corn, with only scraps left later that day. Also in September, a crash in Michigan spilled grape juice across I-94, prompting cleanup crews and traffic delays. In August, a crash in Pennsylvania led to more than 1,000 pounds of hot dogs spilling onto the road, an event that drew social media humor about the “wurst” accident. Authorities emphasized safety and careful cleanup in all cases, as investigators seek to determine cause and responsibility.
As weather and light conditions were not immediately cited as factors, officials planned to review skid marks, vehicle data, and the load manifests from the truck carrying the M&Ms. The investigation aims to determine how the impact occurred and whether any safety or maintenance issues contributed to the crash. The westbound lanes remained closed for several hours as crews cleared debris and traffic was diverted to alternate routes until the road could be reopened.