Firefighter 'broke down' after finding friend dead at scene of car crash in Putaruru

The fatal crash happened on State Highway 1, about 5km south of Putaruru in Waikato. Photo/Google Maps

A Waikato firefighter was confronted with anyone's worst nightmare when he arrived at the scene of a crash to find his friend, who he had been with just minutes earlier, dead in the wreckage.

Gamini Vithanage, 56, was killed in a head-on collision on State Highway 1, approximately 5km south of Putaruru, Waikato after leaving a friend's house to start his journey to Dunedin where he would join his family and start a new job.

That same friend, a volunteer firefighter, was one of the first on the scene of the crash.

Putaruru Fire chief Nathan Bennetto was with the firefighter at the scene when he discovered his "very good friend" had died.

"He broke down. It certainly wasn't a pleasant experience for him," said Bennetto.

"It was a sad occasion.

"We had to change tact a little bit. We had a couple [firefighters] supporting him while the others carried on and did what we have to do."

Bennetto said Vithanage had left the firefighter's home just minutes before the tragedy unfolded.

He was on his way to Dunedin, where his wife, Janitha, and two daughters had moved in February. Vithanage's youngest daughter, Nadiru, had been accepted to study at Otago University where her older sister Sandaru was going to continue her science degree.

As the breadwinner for his family, Vithanage had stayed in Putaruru working for VTNZ until he was finally able to transfer to the Queenstown branch, where he was due to start work on Monday.

Chandani Jinadasa, a spokeswoman for the family, said Vithanage was a "fantastic man" with a "big heart and loud laugh".

"He was always willing to help others. He was a loving father and loving husband.

"His family are devastated."

Jinadasa is president of the Sri Lanka Friendship Society Waikato of which Vithanage was a member.

"He was the man who did most of the hard work. It doesn't matter what it was, he would do it."

Vithanage and his family moved to New Zealand from Sri Lanka in 2008.

His funeral will be held on Wednesday in Hamilton.