Fatal crash unleashes swarm of bees

Emergency services called to the crash scene were confronted with a swarm of bees from the truck. File photo

A 19-year-old man died when a truck he was in collided with the back of logging truck in thick fog, south of Kawerau, this morning.

Emergency services called to the crash scene were confronted with a swarm of bees from the truck, and some police officers were stung a number of times.

The collision happened on McKee Rd, south of Kawerau, at about 3.52am where a logging truck and a 5 tonne truck and trailer crashed.

A 19-year-old man from Murupara died in the crash, and another person was injured. The driver of the logging truck was uninjured.

The name of the man, who was a passenger in the truck, would not be released until he was formally identified, police said.

Emergency services had a "problem getting out there" due to the swarm of bees, a northern police communications spokesman confirmed.

"It meant it's taken a while to clear the scene," he said.

The slow moving logging truck was travelling along McKee Road in thick fog when a truck carrying bee hives, travelling in the same direction, collided with the rear of the logging truck, police said.

It was earlier reported the crash was a head-on collision.

Warwick Wilshier, of Williams and Wilshier Ltd, which owns the logging truck, said the truck and trailer ran into the back of the logging truck in thick fog.

The driver of the logging truck was "ok" following the crash, Mr Wilshier said.

"Obviously, he feels for the deceased ... he's a local."

The bee hives remained intact and were removed from the scene, police said.

McKee Rd, south of Kawerau has now re-opened following the crash early.