Trucker detained after huge potato spill snarls traffic on key Denmark bridge

Copenhagen, Denmark — A 57-year-old truck driver was detained Thursday after a great deal of potatoes have been discovered spilled on a key bridge linking two Danish islands, police have mentioned. The driving force was held on suspicion of inflicting reckless endangerment to life.

A primary spill was reported on the westbound aspect of the Storebaelt bridge at 6.35 a.m. (0435 GMT), police spokesman Kenneth Taanquist mentioned. The bridge connects the island the place the capital, Copenhagen, is positioned to the remainder of Denmark.

An identical incident occurred on the eastbound aspect a short while later, Taanquist added.

“It appears to be like bizarre,” he mentioned. “We’re engaged on two hypotheses: it’s both an accident or it’s one thing that has been performed intentionally.”

Police mentioned the roads had turn out to be slippery and urged drivers to drive slowly. In accordance with the Danish Highway Directorate, traces of autos have been reported on both aspect of the roughly 11-mile bridge and tunnel hyperlink between the islands of Funen, the place Odense — Denmark’s third largest metropolis — is positioned, and Zealand, the place Copenhagen sits.

A 3rd incident of potatoes on the highway was reported close to the city of Kolding on the Jutland peninsula. Kolding is close to the Storebaelt bridge.

Danish public broadcaster DR famous that the potato spills occurred on the identical day because the Danish parliament handed a legislation to tax diesel vans transporting heavy masses.

The brand new measure has drawn protests from truck drivers. In latest weeks, they peacefully blocked highways and predominant roads all through the nation, claiming the tax will make their livelihoods unsustainable. A majority within the Danish parliament argue it’s important because the continued use of fuel and diesel-fueled vans is environmentally unsustainable.

As of 2025, the drivers of fuel and diesel-fueled autos over 3.5 tons (7, 716 kilos) shall be taxed 1.3 kroner ($0.19) per kilometer (roughly half a mile) pushed.

Torben Dyhl Hjorth, a spokesman for the protesting truckers, mentioned on Fb that they “strongly distance themselves from right this moment’s ‘stunts’.” He added that they have been planning a protest at a later stage which “will be felt however with out danger to individuals’s lives and well-being.”