2 killed, 10 injured in weekend crashes

File photo / NZ Herald

Locals who were first on the scene of a two-car crash, which killed one man and sent seven people to hospital last night, wrapped those involved in blankets and comforted them before emergency services arrived, one local says.

About 9pm last night two cars crashed on Copenhagen Road in Te Kaha, 70 kilometres north-east of Opotiki.

Phones started ringing and within minutes locals were at the scene, comforting those involved, including four children, said one local who did not wish to be named.

One man died at the scene, while one person in a critical condition, two in a serious condition and four in a moderate condition were airlifted to hospital, Northern Ambulance Communications spokeswoman Ngaire Jones said.

This morning, a 14-year-old boy was airlifted from Tauranga Hospital to Starship Hospital in a critical condition, a Bay of Plenty District Health Board spokesman said.

A 13-year-old boy was in a stable condition in Whakatane Hospital, while a 14-month-old and a 23-year-old woman were treated and discharged at Whakatane Hospital, she said.

The local man - who described his community as small enough to not make it onto the daily weather forecasts - said the street was quiet at the time of the crash. It was not common to have a crash on that street, and he did not know of any in the past which had killed someone.

All of those involved in the crash were locals, including a family, he said.

The community's desire to help out following the crash was just the way they operated around there, the local said.

It was lucky only one person was killed in the "big'' crash, because of how many people were involved, he said.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man was killed when a quad bike carrying two people crashed on Foxton Beach last night.

Emergency Services were called to Foxton Beach, near the end of Parewanui Road, about 1.30am.

Another 20-year-old man was injured, police said.

Their names would not be released until next of kin had been notified.

Earlier this morning there was a serious crash involving a coal truck and trailer unit and a car in Invercargill. The driver and passenger of the car were taken to Southland Hospital by ambulance.

Police say the driver of the car was attempting to overtake another truck when the driver noticed the oncoming coal truck. The driver pulled back but lost control and veered across the centre line into the path of the oncoming truck.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged and the road was closed for six hours.