KEY POINTS:
A 4-year-old boy hurt when a train hit a car near Pukekohe died in the Starship hospital last night.
Police are investigating if the car - carrying the father, the boy and his three sisters - had stopped on train tracks when it was hit.
Senior Sergeant Rob Arnold told the Herald at the scene that police had received varying reports about the car's movements in the lead-up to the collision at the Crown Rd level crossing at Paerata at 4.20pm yesterday.
"We've had conflicting stories about whether the car has gone around the barrier arms or was stationary on the tracks when the train arrived," Mr Arnold said.
Witnesses said the barrier arms moved down and the lights were flashing at the time of the accident.
They described hearing the train's horn, followed by a bang.
Trina Campbell, 17, said she heard brakes screeching, then what sounded like "a gun going off right in my ear".
Mr Arnold said the children's father was "shocked but in no real physical harm".
The 4-year-old was taken to the Starship in the Westpac rescue helicopter with his 12-year-old sister, who was also seriously injured.
A St John ambulance took his two other sisters, aged 2 and 6, to Middlemore Hospital with moderate injuries.
The Auckland District Health Board this morning listed the 12 year-old and six year-old in a "satisfactory condition" - which is regarded as better than critical - and the two year old in a stable condition.
Witness Wayne Storey, whose home overlooks the railway line, said he watched from his balcony as the car stopped on the tracks.
"The car was just sitting there between the barriers. I couldn't tell whether the engine was running, but it was not moving," he said.
"The barrier arms came down and they were sort of parked half way across it. He got snotted by the train.
"All the bells and that were working. It was a hell of a bang ... There was a big crunch - steel on steel, so there was not much give.
"The barriers seemed to be working, and I could hear the bells.
"You can't fault the train. It starts slowing down for this crossing from a [kilometre] back."
Another resident, Justin Stewart, said people often became impatient and ignored the signals.
While he had not witnessed the crash, he said it had been "just a matter of time" before a collision occurred.
"People are complacent. Often at night people just hoof it through the crossing while the bells are on."
