---
title: "Florida Train Strikes Semi-Truck Full of Frozen Meat, Neighbors Score Free Christmas Dinner"
description: "\"I gotta be honest, it smells like bacon,\" a reporter said."
date: "2017-12-15"
modified: "2017-12-15"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/17011/florida-train-strikes-semi-truck-full-of-frozen-meat-neighbors-score-free-christmas-dinner"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "christmas"
  - "Crash"
  - "Florida"
  - "Florida Man"
  - "Food"
  - "holidays"
  - "Semi Truck"
  - "Train"
---

# Florida Train Strikes Semi-Truck Full of Frozen Meat, Neighbors Score Free Christmas Dinner

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/12/train-strike1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Residents of a central Florida city were gifted an early holiday surprise this week when a train struck a semi-truck full of frozen food, sending boxes of meat and seafood flying everywhere—which authorities allowed neighbors to gather up and take home for free, [*Fox 13 News* reports.](<https://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/train-crashes-into-stalled-tractor-trailer>)

The impromptu buffet was established after semi-truck owned by the Colorado Meat and Seafood Company stalled out on a set of CSX train tracks in Lakeland, Florida on Wednesday morning. The driver reportedly tried to contact CSX to warn them of the situation, but a [freight train](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/6351/120-bmw-suvs-damaged-in-south-carolina-train-crash>) came barreling through the intersection before he could reach anyone and crashed straight through the trailer, tearing it in half.

https://youtube.com/embed/sc0ri-xNLAQ

The impact also sent hundreds of boxes of frozen food flying into the predawn sky, and images from the scene show both sides of the tracks completely covered with packages of steaks, bacon, shrimp, and other meats. [According to *Fox 13*,](<https://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/train-crashes-into-stalled-tractor-trailer>) the Colorado Meat and Seafood Company quickly sent word that it was writing off all the cargo and didn't want to salvage it, so CSX employees who responded to the crash began picking up the food and throwing it in a dumpster to clear the tracks.

https://twitter.com/_/status/940916621551468544

Meanwhile, a fairly large crowd of nearby residents had gathered, and authorities decided to allow them to take whatever they wanted for the wreckage since it was all destined to be thrown out. The giveaway reportedly lasted for over an hour until CSX asked police to clear the scene so they could reopen the tracks to train traffic. Given the amount of food, it's highly likely that this [train strike](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/13404/watch-a-freight-train-slam-into-a-tractor-trailer-filled-with-candy>) prevented at least a few families from going hungry over the holidays this year.

"People are hungry," neighbor Jessie Woulard [told *Fox 13*.](<https://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/train-crashes-into-stalled-tractor-trailer>) "Some people are so hungry they'll wash it off. Everybody needs something. It's Christmas."

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)