A key commuter route in downtown Vancouver has reopened after a crash into a light pole left a major intersection closed for hours.
A white SUV lost control on Burrard Street around 4 a.m. and took out the light pole and part of a trolley wire near West Georgia Street.
The driver and passenger weren't seriously injured in the crash, but the accident scatted debris around the roadway and left officials concerned about the live wires.
"The danger is the 600-volt trolley lines are fed with a current in each direction, if the pole is energized, it's a high-level hazard," said Capt. Craig Lanthier of Vancouver Fire and Rescue.
Crews had to tape off the area to keep pedestrians from walking into a danger zone.
Burrard Street was closed to traffic between West Georgia and Robson streets, which meant detouring dozens of buses. The city initially hoped to free up the intersection by mid-morning, but it took hours to remove the light pole without hitting any lines above.
The intersection remained closed until shortly after 2 p.m.
It is not yet known what caused the crash, but officials said they'd ruled out speed and alcohol.
