The driver of a tractor-trailer carrying live turkeys for Prestage Farms was reported to be in critical condition in a South Carolina hospital after being involved in a wreck. The accident occurred on the highway SC 34 in Kershaw County, South Carolina, and is currently under investigation.
Lugoff Fire-Rescue emergency crews were dispatched to the scene on the morning of October 21 after receiving a 911 call, Fire Chief Dennis Ray told The State.
The driver, whose identity has not been released, was found trapped inside the cab, while many turkeys in crates were scattered along the roadway. It is not known how many turkeys were lost or injured in the accident.
Emergency personnel stabilized the overturned truck and rescued the driver from the cab. He was then airlifted to a local hospital, where he was last reported to be in critical condition.
Prestage Farms was using a tractor-trailer from JB Hunt Trucking to transport the live cargo from Cassatt to Newberry, both in South Carolina.
Work crews from Prestage Farms went to the scene to assist with the cleanup and to tow the tractor-trailer.
Headquartered in Clinton, North Carolina, Prestage Farms produces more than 425 million pounds of turkey annually. It also produces nearly 850 million pounds of pork annually, according to the company’s website.
