NATCHEZ — Cars were backed up for approximately an hour midday Tuesday at the intersection of D’Evereux and Seargnet S. Prentiss drives when an oil field truck snagged a traffic light cable, sending six of the lights to the ground in pieces.

Five Natchez Police officers and City of Natchez Traffic Department employees manned the scene after a report of the incident reached NPD at 11:30 a.m. to direct traffic and clean up cables and shattered equipment.

“At one point the entire shift was over there, plus myself, Natchez Police Department Lt. Justin Robinson said.

Traffic resumed at the intersection the rest of the day with temporary four-way stop signs.

Robinson said Mississippi Department of Transportation had given the commercial truck with I.E. Miller Services — a rig moving and heavy hauling company — clearance to pass through the intersection, but the lights were hanging lower than expected.

Robinson said clearance was given with the understanding that the lights hung 16-feet 10-inches high. The truck was toting a 16-foot 4-inch load when it struck the lower cable, indicating the lights were sagging lower than intended, Robinson said.

City of Natchez Traffic Department Director Rick Freeman said Tuesday afternoon he anticipated a contractor from Brandon to arrive at 6 p.m. in Natchez to begin repairs of the cables and replacing the lights.

“Right now, I don’t know how long (repairs will take),” Freeman said.

“(The traffic department) is going to assist (the contractor) in getting signal heads back up and the intersection back in operation.”