The scene where a man died and four others were injured at Paengaroa. Photo/George Novak
The scene where a man died and four others were injured at Paengaroa. Photo/George Novak
Two of five deaths in New Zealand this holiday season happened within 48 hours of each other on Bay of Plenty roads.
A man died and four people were injured following a crash between a tanker truck and a car on State Highway 2 at Paengaroa yesterday.
The fully-laden blue car had been travelling down Wilson Rd and turned southbound on to SH2 about 8am when it was in a collision with the northbound truck, carrying milk product.
The truck and the car collided and the car was dragged along the highway for about another 100m before both vehicles came to a stop.
"The sheer impact of the crash itself, basically, the car was just crumpled around them," Mr Beech said.
"We probably got the last person out alive in about 45 minutes, and got the first one out in about five minutes of arrival. We had to work around him [the dead man] which made things difficult."
Deep gouges in the road and long skid marks could be seen from a police cordon at Wilson Rd South.
The sheer impact of the crash itself, basically, the car was just crumpled around them.
Debris including wire and bits of tyres were strewn across the road.
The truck driver who escaped serious injury sat nearby, visibly shaken, receiving support from police and Victim Support.
Most of the identities of the crash victims were unknown last night. A 42-year-old Rotorua woman was at Tauranga Hospital in a serious but stable condition last night. A 19-year-old man was in a critical condition and last night was due to go to the operating theatre at Waikato Hospital. A 28-year-old Rotorua woman was under assessment in the Emergency Department at Waikato Hospital. The fifth occupant of the car managed to escape the wreckage through the car's back hatch and although the person suffered minor injuries, was not taken to hospital.
Western Bay of Plenty police area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton said the crash was tragic.
"At this time of year we urge motorists to take extra care. Our roads are extra busy, allow plenty of space, obey the road rules," he said.
"People need to make sure they have plenty of time and plenty of rest."
Local resident Maurice Follett said he walked along the stretch of highway every day and was shocked to stumble across the crash.
"I saw a sign up there saying 'accident' but I didn't hear nothing. Although, you get a lot of people down here speeding. There's been a couple of times I'm walking along the grass verge and they come up right along the inside [of the white line]. But usually, it's the other end where the crashes happen."
Fatal car crash in Paengaroa. Photo / George Novak
The police serious crash unit and the commercial vehicle investigation unit were looking into the cause of the collision.
Heavy holiday traffic was diverted along Wilson Rd South and SH33 but the road was re-opened about 11.30am.
The death has brought the holiday road toll to five, including a fatal crash in Tauranga on Boxing Day.
On Boxing Day, SH2 was closed for several hours at Whakamarama after a man died when the rental car he was driving collided with another car, critically injuring an Omokoroa couple in their 70s.
The 70-year-old man and 74-year-old woman remained in a serious condition in Tauranga Hospital's intensive care unit yesterday.
