‘Nasty’ Scene: Kilometre-Long Trail of Chicken Carcasses Coats State Highway 24
By Lions Roar News Traffic & Regional Desk
MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND (Friday, January 16, 2026) — Motorists traveling through the Waikato are recounting a “foul” encounter after a truck spilled a massive load of chicken carcasses across a full kilometer of State Highway 24.
The spill, which occurred near Mangawhero Road outside Matamata, turned a routine morning commute into a grisly and slippery hazard for dozens of drivers.
🤢 A “Nasty” Discovery
Truck driver Jay Singh was heading toward Matamata from Tauranga on Thursday morning when he rounded a corner and was confronted by the sight—and smell—of thousands of dead chickens.
“It was just everywhere for at least a kilometer,” Singh described. “The smell was absolutely nasty. You could smell it long before you saw the mess. It’s definitely not something you want to drive through on a hot morning.”
⚠️ NZTA Response: Slips and Slipperiness
The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) confirmed they were first notified of the spill around 10:00 AM on Thursday. A truck carrying the poultry remains reportedly lost its load, leaving the road surface coated in biological waste and residual fluids.
- Traffic Management: A temporary 50km/h speed limit was immediately implemented and remained in place overnight to ensure safety.
- The Hazard: Beyond the visual and olfactory assault, the carcasses and fluids created an extremely slippery surface, posing a threat to vehicle traction.
- Cleanup Efforts: NZTA contractors applied specialized “absorbent material” to the road surface to treat the contamination and restore grip.
🛣️ Road Status Update
While the majority of the physical debris has been cleared, residual “contamination” meant that speed restrictions were maintained into Friday morning to allow the absorbent materials to work and for a final deep clean of the asphalt.
Motorists are advised that while the road is open, there may still be a lingering odor in the area, and caution is urged when traveling through the Mangawhero Road stretch of SH24.
