'It was just so loud': Ute brings down two power poles in Brookfield, Tauranga, cutting power to the area

The ute is said to have hit a big brick wall and then a power pole, which fell down onto the road and dragged another power pole with it. Photo / Supplied

A scene of absolute carnage met residents of Brookfield, Tauranga early this morning when a ute crashed into a wall and then brought down two power poles, cutting power to the surrounding area.

The incident happened on Otumoetai Rd, between Stoddart Pl and Brookfield Terrace, about 6.50am.

A woman who lives nearby told the Bay of Plenty Times that most of the neighbourhood was woken up by the crash.

"It was just so loud."

She said the ute was thought to have been coming down the hill when it hit a big brick wall and then a power pole, which fell down onto the road and dragged another power pole with it.

She said power lines fell right across the road.

A police media spokeswoman said a person received minor injuries in the crash. Photo / Supplied

"It took a while to register," the woman said.

She said she initially thought someone had hit the power pole directly outside her house.

"I looked out the window and our lines to the house were shaking. And just everybody came running out."

A police media spokeswoman said a person received minor injuries in the crash.

"He was walking around," the woman who lives nearby said.

"He wasn't in the car when we came out because one of the guys [a neighbour], with no shirt on, ran up the road, jumped the lines, up the hill and peeped down into the car and the guy wasn't there. But we saw him later sitting further up. He was just sitting there."

The ute brought down two power poles and lines fell right across the road. Photos / Andrew Warner

The woman said it was really lucky that nobody else was on the road at the time.

"I was just thinking of going for a walk actually, just before that. So I would have been half way up the hill if I'd gone for my walk but thankfully I was going, nah, I'm too lazy."

She said some of her neighbours quickly ran to stop other cars from driving towards the crash scene.

Another woman, standing with her, said: "The car was pretty munted."

She said it came as a bit of a "bit of a shock".

When the Bay of Plenty Times visited the scene this morning, traffic management was in place, power crews were working and a section of Otumoetai Rd was blocked.

Both the police and a Fire and Emergency New Zealand crew from Tauranga Fire Station attended the incident.

The PowerCo website at 9.25am this morning showed 279 properties without power in Brookfield.

The estimated restoration time was 1pm.