The Department of Public Safety announced this morning that downed power lines have closed the Seward Highway just north of Girdwood.

DPS reports that the downed power lines were reported at shortly after 4 this morning. The downed lines were reported when a Ford F-350 crashed into the lines that were already down on the roadway.

Minor damage was done to the vehicle, but the driver was uninjured in the incident.

DPS reports that the downed power lines are stretched across both north and southbound lanes approximately one mile north of Girdwood.

Troopers are on scene at the location and the road will be closed until crews from the power company can get the lines back up.

It is estimated that the lines will be up and the highway will be re-opened by 8:30 am this morning.

UPDATE: The Department of Public Safety announced in a release at 9:34 am, that the Seward Highway has reopened, and traffic is flowing both ways, after a crew from Chugach Electric successfully raised the power line above the highway.

The department also announced that after the Ford truck encountered the power lines, a semi became entangled in the powerlines a short time later. The vehicle and the driver was forced to remain there until they could be untangled from the power line that had come in contact with the vehicle’s mirror. Once freed, the vehicle turned around and returned to Anchorage.