Chipper truck crash knocks down pole, cuts power in Kerikeri

Kerikeri firefighters at the scene of a crash which cut power to 65 households in Kerikeri. Photo / Peter de Graaf

An arborist's truck bowled a power pole and tumbled down a bank in Kerikeri this morning, cutting power to 65 households.

The accident happened about 9.50am as a light truck towing a chipper was heading uphill on Pa Rd, off Kerikeri Inlet Rd.

It appeared the truck had veered onto the left-hand verge, uprooted a power pole and landed on its side at the bottom of a 4m bank.

The driver was shaken but uninjured.

The power lines ended up draped over vegetation on the other side of Pa Rd.

Volunteers from Kerikeri Fire Brigade carried out traffic control and cut the battery cables in the truck and chipper, owned by a Waimate North-based company, to reduce the risk of fire.

The crash caused brief outages in central Kerikeri, with power cut entirely to 65 households on Pa Rd, Inlet Rd and Keridale Lane.

Lines company Top Energy estimated it would take six hours to replace the pole and fully restore power.

Kerikeri police Constable Raymond Iwashita said neither alcohol nor speed was a factor, with the driver estimating he was travelling up the hill at about 20km/h when the crash occurred.

Enquiries were continuing, Iwashita said.