Fiery collision kills three near Temuka

The road toll climbed yesterday when three people died in a crash near the South Island town of Temuka.

Two cars collided head-on on Waitohi Temuka Rd about 5.10pm, Inspector Doug Parker of Police Southern Communications said.

One car burst into a fireball and both people inside were killed. The driver of the other car died and two passengers were badly injured.

Last night, police were working on identifying the dead and contacting relatives.

The death toll for the official holiday period that ended on Wednesday was 21, up 10 on last year.

The latest deaths bring to five the number killed on the roads so far this year.

There were two deaths on New Year's Day, a male pedestrian hit by a car in New Plymouth and a man in a car which went into a ditch at Paeroa.