Rotten tofu stinks up I-44 as wrecked semi truck sits for third week

A load of rotten tofu is causing a stench along Interstate 44 as a wrecked semi truck sits for the third week in a row. 

The crash happened on March 1st on I-44 off of exit 172 near Jerome, Missouri. 

According to KRCG13, The semi truck crashed off of I-44 and came to a stop in a creek that runs into the Gasconade River. An oil leak caused by the crash was immediately contained, but cleanup of the semi truck a its load of now rotten tofu has yet to be conducted. 

The Missouri Department of Transportation has already replaced the guardrail that was damaged in the initial crash, but the state is still working with the carrier’s insurance to determine who will pay for what part of the cleanup, which is expected to be costly. 

“For those of you who drive by this everyday and wonder to yourself ‘why is this still sitting here 3 weeks after the crash’, you are not alone,” wrote the Doolittle Rural Fire Protection District in a Facebook post. 

“We have been in contact with MODOT and they have stated that their team is working on it with the insurance company for the carrier. This is a very costly cleanup, and from what we have gathered, it has been a logistical nightmare. We have been given the runaround while attempting to recoup the costs that our department endured during the response and initial cleanup,” the post continued.

“MODOT’s statewide safety and emergency management director is working with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and other state agencies on the removal. Also, in case you were wandering [sic], tofu tends to stink pretty bad after sitting out for three weeks!”

As of Tuesday morning, March 24th, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources estimates that cleanup will begin on Tuesday evening.