Funeral planned for fire volunteer killed in crash

Anne Talijancich.

A Northland fire volunteer who died in a road crash will be laid to rest in her home town on Friday.

Anne Talijancich's body will arrive at Te Kopuru tomorrow and a funeral service will be held at the Dargaville Baptist Church on Victoria St at 11am the following day.

She will be buried at Red Hill Cemetery in Te Kopuru after the funeral service.

Ms Talijancich, her partner Kevin Rowland, and their two children Malia and Bucko were travelling when their car clipped the end of a bridge on Pouto Rd on Saturday.

She died at the scene while the children are still recovering at Auckland's Starship Hospital.

Te Kopuru deputy fire chief, Barbara Searle, confirmed the funeral arrangements and said 10-year-old Malia would not be able to attend because she was still recovering from her injuries.

Details of Friday's service were still being worked out yesterday but representatives of the New Zealand Fire Service are expected to speak at the gathering.

Ms Talijancich's friends and work colleagues have set up a give-a-little page which had raised $412 by 13 donors by midday yesterday.

Te Kopuru firefighters in two appliances who attended Saturday's crash scene were shocked to discover Ms Talijancich in the car.

Firefighters affected by the tragedy will be offered counselling by the brigade.

Ms Talijancich was born and bred in Dargaville and had been with the Te Kopuru brigade for about seven years.