Lower Kaimai fatal crash: One dead, another with critical injuries, after car and petrol tanker collide

SH29 over the Kaimai Range is closed following a serious crash involving a truck and a car. Image / Google Maps December 28, 2023

One person has died and another has critical injuries after a crash between a car and a petrol tanker west of the Kaimai Summit this afternoon.

It brings the holiday road toll to nine dead.

Police confirmed that one person died in the crash on State Highway 29, Lower Kaimai in a statement at 6.30pm.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said they was notified of the two-vehicle incident at 12.16pm today and a rescue helicopter, two ambulances, a rapid response unit and a manager attended the scene.

“We assessed and treated two patients, and the one in a critical condition was flown to Waikato Hospital and another in a serious condition was transported to Tauranga Hospital by road,” the spokesperson said.

The age and gender of these patients was a matter for the police to disclose, the spokesperson said.

One person was flown to Waikato Hospital in critical condition while another has moderate injuries and was taken to Tauranga Hospital by St John ambulance staff.

Police earlier said State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range remained shut after emergency services responded to the serious crash.

The road has since reopened.

A police spokeswoman earlier told the Bay of Plenty Times police were notified at 12.16pm.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi urged motorists to avoid the area and consider an alternative route.

Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) earlier said two lanes were blocked going up the hill and traffic was being diverted from the crash scene.

“We’ve got a pretty strong [Fenz] presence here,” said the Fenz north shift manager.

“I can tell you that it was a car vs truck.”

Fenz shift manager Mau Barbara said fire crews from Tauranga, Greerton, Tīrau and Putāruru stations had attended the crash involving a car and an empty petrol tanker.

Barbara said at least one person had been trapped, another person was out of their vehicle being attended to by ambulance staff and a child had been taken to Tauranga Hospital.

He said the crash happened on the Waikato side of the lower Kaimai Range.

Kane Dickie, who was in the area, said motorists were being diverted through Rotorua.

“It was raining on the top of the Kaimais when it happened,” he said.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.