Chaos erupted on a Minnesota interstate Friday morning as a semi-truck carrying 50 pigs overturned, transforming a busy highway into a makeshift pigpen. The incident, which occurred on Interstate 694, led to an hours-long shutdown as law enforcement scrambled to wrangle the escaped swine.

The overturned truck, which tipped over around 7:35 a.m., caused significant traffic backups exceeding a mile during the morning rush hour. Images from the Minnesota Department of Transportation's traffic cameras captured the surreal scene of pigs darting through traffic, evading capture by state troopers.

While the truck driver escaped unharmed, the accident tragically claimed the lives of 10 pigs. Several others sustained injuries. Authorities worked diligently to round up the remaining pigs, ensuring their safety and clearing the highway.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the semi-truck overturning, particularly focusing on the curve on I-694 where it merges with northbound Interstate 35E. This isn't the first incident of its kind in Minnesota. Nearly five years ago, a similar incident near Mankato saw over 20 pigs escape onto the roadway following a semi-truck rollover. Last year, a collision between a truck carrying 100 monkeys and a dump truck on a Pennsylvania highway resulted in the escape of several primates.

This incident serves as a reminder of the unexpected challenges that can arise on our roadways and the importance of careful driving, especially when transporting live animals. The image of pigs running loose on a major interstate is certainly one that commuters won't soon forget.