UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

• Tweet

Truck full of chicken catches fire

CHILI, N.Y., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Authorities in New York state said 40,000 pounds of chicken ended up well done when the truck carrying the load caught fire on the interstate.

The Chili Fire Department said the truck, which set out from Mississippi with the load of chicken, was headed toward Wegmans Distribution Center in Chili when it caught fire around 5:50 p.m. Thursday between exits 4 and 5 on Interstate 490, the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle reported Monday.

Monroe County fire investigators said the fire is believed to have been caused by an overheated brake.

Firefighters said the driver, whose name was not released, was able to pull the vehicle over and exit the truck without being injured by the flames.

Man kept stolen delivery car's route

HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Police in Connecticut said a man who stole a Chinese food delivery driver's vehicle made the deliveries and apparently planned to keep the cash.

Hartford police said Keith Hinds, 45, stole the delivery driver's car when it was left running Friday at Bristow Middle School and when the restaurant called customers to inform them of the crime, one of them reported the food had been delivered, the Hartford Courant reported Monday.

Police said they arrested Hinds while he was in the process of making another delivery. They said he was in possession of a crack pipe, a marijuana cigarette and an anti-psychotic drug.

Hinds was charged with third-degree larceny, possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to keep drugs in the original container. He was ordered held in lieu of $5,000 bond.

120,000 pennies glued to billboard

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A Florida business said each of the 120,000 pennies adorning its billboard alongside Interstate 4 was hand polished and individually glued to the advertisement.

Zeno Office Solutions said the billboard near Orlando, which promotes the business' "penny a print" campaign," was put up by Schifino Lee Advertising of Tampa, WKMG-TV, Orlando, reported Monday.

Officials with the advertising firm said the billboard will be rotated to two other central Florida locations during the next six months and the pennies will be donated to charity at the end of the campaign.

Lion jumps into crowd at circus

KAVADARCI, Macedonia, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Police in Macedonia said no one was injured when a lion escaped during a circus performance and jumped into the audience.

Authorities in Kavadarci said the lion escaped through a collapsed part of the barrier separating the audience from the performance area Sunday during the Safari traveling circus and was subdued by lion tamers with tranquilizer darts, the Balkan Insight reported Monday.

"The lion pulled the fence and hurled towards us ... we all started to run and whole hell broke loose ... the lion got agitated and they were having hard time restraining it," a spectator said.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

The circus has not commented on the escape, Balkan Insight said.