LA PORTE, Ind. — Liquid animal fat produced by an Indiana meat processing plant left some drivers wondering if their streets had become an ice rink.

As much as 600 gallons of the byproduct from processing beef at HRR Enterprises escaped from a tanker Sept. 1 after sunrise, forcing the Indiana Department of Transportation to apply sand on three miles of slime-coated roads.

A manhole-sized cap not being properly fastened to the top of the tanker is blamed for the milky-colored animal fat splashing out of the intake whenever the truck applied its brakes and rounded curves, authorities said. The fat, after splashing out of the hole, dripped from the sides of the tanker as the truck traveled away from the plant in La Porte where it was filled the previous night.

"It was heavy at the intersections," said Jeff Hamilton, coordinator of the LaPorte County Hazardous Materials unit. At least one vehicle accident occurred as a result of the slippery travel conditions.

Hamilton said about 10 percent of the 6,500 gallons of fat spilled in the westbound lane of Severs Road, the northbound lane of Indiana 39 and at the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road. The liquid fat was also spread onto some of the other surrounding roads from the tires on vehicles that came into contact with the greasy film.

Dan Tarpley, president of HRR, said the driver was heading to the East Coast to deliver the fat to a buyer and before taking the Ohio exit, stopped at the toll plaza when he noticed the liquid trail behind him.

The company, which relocated from Chicago in 2004, produces a variety of meats, including finely textured beef products and partially defatted chopped beef.

Its products are used in frozen hamburger patties and other foodstuffs like Salisbury steak, beefsteaks, meatloaf, meatballs, filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales and other Mexican food and in canned goods like corn beef hash, according to the company’s website.

Tarpley said the liquid fat is called beef tallow, an oil derived from processing meat that’s used for cooking and to make a variety of products such as shortening, soup, pet food, cosmetics and livestock rations.

The tanker was filled at the plant the night before and the driver slept in his cab a few hours before heading out. Tarpley said the cap – also known as a dome – was on the intake. "It just wasn’t fastened down," he remarked.