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A49 Closed Both Ways After Livestock Truck Overturns Near Schwalmstadt

Police suspect icy conditions prompted the crash, extending a closure for complex recovery.

Overview

  • Police say the transporter slid off the roadway around 4:20 a.m. shortly after the Frankenhain tunnel between the Schwalmstadt and Neuental junctions.
  • Several pigs escaped the overturned trailer but were later secured, with veterinary teams on site and some injured animals euthanized.
  • The truck driver was not injured, and police estimate damage to the vehicle and trailer at about €100,000.
  • The full closure has produced long tailbacks of roughly three kilometers and has overwhelmed diversion routes through Treysa, Allendorf and Schlierbach.
  • Authorities advise rerouting via the B454/B254 or more widely via the A5, A7 and A44, with no estimate yet for reopening as salvage continues.