In the event of a vehicular accident; fallen trees, light standards or power lines; snow, flooding, ice or mud slide; pavement damage due to explosion, buckling or other means; sudden obstruction in a traffic lane; or of any other emergency situation rendering a street hazardous and unsafe for public travel, the chief of police, or the ranking officer of the police department acting in his stead, is hereby authorized to close any street or streets so affected to traffic and to reroute or to direct traffic away from such street or streets for such period of time as is necessary to correct the emergency situation. (1978 Code § 11-1-2)