Escape from fiery wreck

The driver of this Mazda ute was uninjured. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Witnesses have described desperate attempts to save the motorists involved in a fiery crash in Napier yesterday morning.

In a separate crash in Hawkes Bay five people were taken to hospital, two with serious head and chest injuries, after a crash just after 3pm in Clive.

Both were apparently caused by cars failing to give way at intersection.

The first incident occurred after a Subaru Legacy allegedly drove through a stop sign and collided with a ute in Greenmeadows about 5am.

An 18-year-old who was a backseat passenger in the Subaru was taken to Wellington Hospital with critical head and chest injuries.

A 20-year-old man who was a front seat passenger in the same car was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital with moderate injuries.

The driver escaped injury.

The 32-year-old driver of the Mazda Bounty ute was also uninjured, despite his vehicle spinning, rolling and coming to rest against a power pole.

"He was very lucky he was in a solid vehicle." said Napier fire station officer Graeme McFarland.

Pastor Rodger Galbraith said he heard an "almighty crash" about 5am.

Galbraith said he saw a man being pulled from the Subaru.

"I said 'don't move him, he's injured'. He appeared unconscious and listless.

"But he said 'I have to, the car is on fire'. I looked around and saw flames coming from under the bonnet."

A passer-by asked for a fire extinguisher.

"I didn't have one but I gave him a garden hose and he began watering the vehicle. Then the ambulance and fire brigade arrived and took over," he said.

Police said alcohol and speed were believed to be factors and charges were likely. The serious crash unit was investigating.

In the second crash at Clive, a 34-year-old driver and his 25-year-old passenger allegedly drove through the stop sign without slowing down.

The car hit a a mother and her two teenage sons at the corner of Richmond and Mill Rds in Clive just after 3pm.

The passenger in the first car suffered horrific facial injures as the car spun off into a ditch.

The family's car was sent spinning into a nearby paddock. St John spokesman Chris Matthews said: "We transferred five patients to Hawke's Bay Hospital, two serious.

"A 25-year-old male had extensive skin peeling from his nose to his scalp and a 43-year-old female had chest injuries."

The two teenage boys suffered moderate injuries, as did the driver of the first car.