A road diversion set up to bypass the scene of a fatal crash near Dannevirke had to be closed for safety reasons.
State Highway 2, between Dannevirke and Norsewood, was closed for more than four hours yesterday after a crash in which one person died and another had to be flown to hospital.
Two cars collided near Piripiri Rd, north of Dannevirke, just before 6.30am.
![Closed: Traffic being stopped at the Mangatera end of Dannevirke's High St, to be diverted because of a fatal motor vehicle accident at Piripiri. Photo/Christine McKay](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ZWO6JBDBGMECBV7F6YPUBBLR5I.jpg?auth=a97963ceffe82881b1be666a0fe0c6353099bbaee1934c02965c257f164facf3&width=16&height=7&quality=70&smart=true)
Otanga and Riverdale roads were used as a detour east of the main road, but this had to be abandoned because of dangers posed by the amount of traffic and the narrow and winding conditions.