SMITHFIELD, N.C. (WNCN) – The eastbound U.S. Route 70 Business bridge over Interstate 95 near Smithfield has reopened following a Nov. 22 incident where a truck carrying chicken crashed into a support column, shutting down the bridge.

A truck carrying chickens was ripped apart in a crash on I-95 southbound (Viewer photo)

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said the bridge reopened around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

A tractor-trailer carrying chicken was shredded to pieces after the violent crash on I-95 southbound early on Nov. 22.

The crash, which occurred just after 3 a.m., had shut down the interstate in the area for hours, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said. Interstate 95 reopened more than eight hours later, but U.S. 70 at the Market Street bridge was closed until Tuesday.RELATED: Tractor-trailer carrying bananas flips over on I-85 in Hillsborough after driver falls asleep

According to the N.C. Highway Patrol, the driver ran off the road, hit a guardrail and then hit the concrete support for the overpass. The impact cracked the support column.

The truck was carrying frozen chicken.

Authorities said that fatigue was a factor in the violent crash.