By Megan Fink Leoni and Mary Kathryn Carpenter

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — A single-vehicle accident at the intersection of Canal Street and Jefferson Street created a dangerous situation Wednesday afternoon.

The Natchez Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Natchez Fire Department responded to the scene on Canal Street, where a single-vehicle accident downed two electrical poles.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., an 18-wheeler caught low-hanging wires in front of the post office on Canal Street, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Gerald Mooney said.

Post office employees told Mooney the lines had been hanging low for some time, he said.

The wires hung over the truck as Entergy employees worked to ensure lines were not live so the driver could exit his vehicle.

Entergy spokesman Tim Runnels said electricity was out Wednesday afternoon for 544 customers downtown, and traffic on Canal Street was blocked.

The damage affected two poles, two streetlights and one transformer.

He said electricity was restored to 529 customers at 6 p.m., and the remaining 25 would be restored at around 8:30 p.m.

Traffic on Canal Street would remain blocked until the site was repaired, he said.

“They can get it done quicker without the public driving through it,” he said.

Runnels said residents should steer clear of any site where electrical wires are down.

“Any time we have wires down, we tell the public to treat them like it’s hot,” he said. “We don’t know until we get out there.”