KANSAS CITY, MO — A semi-truck crash on Interstate 70 early Sunday sent dozens of cattle roaming through downtown Kansas City after a collision near Admiral Boulevard. The truck was carrying more than 120 cattle when it overturned around 3 a.m., creating an unusual and chaotic scene for first responders.

The Kansas City Fire Department said one person from each vehicle involved in the crash was taken to the hospital. Both were reported to be in stable condition. Several cattle died in the wreck, while others remained in the trailer as crews tried to sort out the animals that got loose.

Cattle spread across streets, bridges and nearby neighborhoods

Once the trailer was breached, the escaped cattle moved through a wide stretch of the city. Emergency radio traffic described roughly 100 head of cattle loose downtown, and responders warned others to watch for animals in the area.

The cattle were seen near Pershing Road and Main Street by Crown Center, around the Buck O’Neil Bridge and even across the line into Kansas City, Kansas. The wide search area made the response more complicated and forced crews to keep track of animals moving through traffic and open city streets.

First responders repeatedly urged caution as the livestock spread out. The animals were not confined to one block or one intersection, which made the cleanup effort more like a citywide tracking operation than a standard crash response.

Police and firefighters used drones to track the loose animals

Police called in additional resources to help round up the cattle after the crash. Emergency crews spent hours trying to locate the animals and guide them away from traffic and populated areas.

At least part of the search involved drones, which responders used to spot cattle from above. One responder said over radio traffic that two cattle were directly under a drone, showing how closely crews were following the animals as they moved around downtown.

The drone searches helped responders identify where the cattle had gone, but the effort still took time because the animals were scattered. Crews worked through the morning to locate them and begin collecting the ones that had not been recovered immediately after the wreck.

Part of the downtown loop shut down during the response

The crash caused part of the northeastern section of the downtown loop to close while emergency crews handled the scene. That added another layer of disruption for drivers at a time when the area was already dealing with the wreck and the loose cattle.

Officials did not immediately say how long the closure lasted, but the impact reached well beyond the original crash site. With cattle moving near major roads and bridges, responders had to balance traffic control with efforts to recover the animals and keep people away from danger.

The closure reflected the scale of the incident. What began as a collision on I-70 quickly became a downtown safety issue, affecting roads in the heart of the city as crews tried to regain control.

Crews reported progress by late morning as recovery continued

By later Sunday morning, responders said they had made progress on rounding up the live cattle. One responder said most of the surviving animals had been gathered and that crews were shifting into the recovery phase for the rest.

The work was still not fully finished, but the tone of the emergency traffic suggested the most difficult part of the search was easing. The cattle were no longer being described as an uncontrolled downtown herd, and responders were focusing on the remaining animals and the aftermath of the crash.

Even so, the wreck left a messy scene involving dead livestock, damaged vehicles and a major search effort across several parts of the metro area. Authorities continued to manage the response as crews tried to account for every animal involved.

Residents are asked to report any cattle still wandering

Anyone who spots an animal from the crash is being asked to contact Kansas City police at 816-234-5111 or call 311. That request remained important because some cattle were still not accounted for while crews worked through the recovery.

The unusual incident left downtown residents, drivers and responders dealing with a situation more commonly associated with rural roads than a major city center. For hours, a livestock crash on a busy interstate turned into a search through streets, bridges and neighborhoods.

Officials have not said exactly how many cattle escaped, but the response made clear that dozens were loose after the wreck. With the injured taken to the hospital and crews continuing to recover animals, the focus remained on clearing the remaining cattle from the area safely.