B.C. Hydro crews worked near the intersection of the Patricia Bay Highway and Sayward Road for several hours Tuesday to deal with extensive damage after a tractor trailer struck and damaged a utility pole.

The collision brought down high-voltage power lines that the crews had to repair. No one was injured in the accident.

The highway was re-opened, except for the northbound curb lane, by late morning. Prior to that, there was gridlock between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. as northbound traffic on the highway was diverted onto Cordova Bay Road and southbound traffic was diverted to Brookleigh Road.

Saanich Sgt. Mike Barkley said it was necessary to close the highway for a time because the power lines posed an extreme safety hazard.

The crash left nearly 2,000 B.C. Hydro customers in Saanich and Central Saanich without power for part of the morning.