A crash involving five vehicles on State Highway 2 closed the Wairoa Bridge for several hours this afternoon. A police media spokeswoman said police were called to the incident between Te Puna and Bethlehem just before 10.30am.
Five vehicles were involved in the crash and one person received moderate injuries, while several others suffered minor injuries.
The road was blocked for several hours and traffic was diverted. The Wairoa Bridge reopened this afternoon.
A witness, who did not want to be named, said traffic was brought to a standstill before motorists were asked to turn around and take a detour.
He said he was impressed by the pilot of the rescue helicopter who "expertly" landed on the bridge next to the crash.
