More than 700 gallons of milk was spilled after a tractor trailer hauling the liquid overturned on Poorhouse Road on Monday morning off of Route 460 in Prince Edward County.

The road was closed for hours as volunteer fire department members, health department, transportation, agricultural and environmental officials worked to contain and clean up the spilled milk.

Milk is considered a hazardous material, said Rice Volunteer Fire Department Lt. Raymond Sledge.

The truck, which found its demise in a soft shoulder along the roadway, was hauling about 57,000 pounds of milk.

According to Virginia State Police Trooper Andrew Goss, the truck was traveling on Poorhouse Road when it attempted to avoid a utility crew working alongside the roadway, hitting the soft shoulder while passing the crew, and turned over.

The milk was contained to the spill site, said Sledge. A creek lies about 30 yards from the spill site, he said.