One of the vehicles being loaded on to a tow truck. Photo / Gavin Ogden
"I've never seen an accident like that and people get out alive."
Those were the words of a woman still in shock after she heard the "horrific" bang and saw the scene of a two-car crash on Pāpāmoa Beach Rd this afternoon.
The woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was sitting on a balcony with her friend when they heard the bang.
Her friend had seen one car "just go up in the air with a loud bang".
They called the ambulance and went to the scene with her friend's partner.
"The car was upside-down. We thought, oh my goodness, someone's bound to be killed or badly injured."
The group of residents initially thought there was just one vehicle in the crash, but soon saw the other car.
The second car appeared to have hit the kerb, lost a wheel, went through someone's yard and hit a shed, she said.
The woman and her friend had to redirect traffic before police arrived as there was "so much debris" which made it impossible for cars to pass.
"We really thought there would have been somebody badly injured, or killed, it was that horrific. And the bang was just that loud," she said.
"The angels were there, definitely looking after them. It was their lucky day, both of them."
She said she and her friend were still shaking after the event.
The car flipped and landed on its roof on Pāpāmoa Beach Rd.
Police were called to the two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Motiti Rd at 12.40pm.
A police spokeswoman said one person had minor to moderate injuries.
The road was blocked for a time but is now clear.
A tavern operating without a duty manager also found in breach.