Traffic was moving normally on Tuesday afternoon on I-75 in Michigan until a sharp-eyed driver noticed something strange. A tanker truck, cruising southbound near the South Huron River off-ramp, appeared to be leaking. They signaled to the commercial driver, who pulled over to check it out. What he discovered wasn’t oil or fuel: it was chocolate syrup. And not just a little. The tanker was loaded with 41,000 pounds of it.

The tanker driver told responders he hadn’t noticed anything wrong until the passerby flagged him down

Once he stopped, he saw syrup dripping from the tank. Crews from Berlin Township Fire and South Rockwood Police arrived to assess the situation and keep the scene safe while cleanup got underway.

While it sounds like something out of a candy factory blooper reel, food-grade tanker spills like this aren’t unheard of

Tanker trucks regularly haul liquid food products like milk, corn syrup, vegetable oil, and in this case, chocolate syrup. 

The tanks are usually insulated stainless steel and designed to keep contents stable during long road trips. 

Most drivers passing by wouldn’t know what’s inside unless the truck is marked, and food tankers typically aren’t unless the load is hazardous. That’s why surprises like this turn heads.

Commenters arrived with sweet jokes

Once Monroe County Reporters posted a Facebook reel of the spill, the comment section lit up with humor.

“If anybody sees me laying under this truck with my mouth open, just mind your business,” one posted.

“Willy Wonka is gonna be pissed,” another remarked slyly.

One questioned who in the world would order that much chocolate syrup: “me now mind ya business lol,” someone replied.

So, where was 20 tons of chocolate syrup headed? 

Possibly a bottling plant, an ice cream manufacturer, or a commercial bakery. Large shipments like this are usually part of a supply chain feeding major food brands.

As one commenter confirmed, some commercial kitchens that create anything dipped in chocolate might need that much. Many claimed that it could have been en route to Hershey’s factory in Pennsylvania.

Fortunately, there were no crashes or injuries, just a sticky roadside mess and a few baffled motorists.