Firefighter: 'One of the nastiest crashes I've seen'

Three people killed in a head-on crash between a car and a bus north of Christchurch today may all have been in the front seat of the small car, the Fire Service says.

The Mitsubishi Mirage two-door hatchback car and bus collided on the Main North Rd at Woodend shortly before midday today, killing one person instantly and fatally injuring two others.

A fourth person was critically injured and a fifth was hurt, but not as badly.

"There were five young people in the vehicle," Inspector Al Stewart told 3 News. "Three of those died at the scene, probably on impact, and two have been taken to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries."

The three passengers on the bus were treated for minor injuries.

The second and third victims died within minutes in spite of desperate efforts of an off duty medic who arrived within seconds of the crash, and a firefighter who was leaving his home to drive to Christchurch when the accident happened.

The crash was "one of the nastiest I have seen", said Ross Ditmer, North Canterbury Fire Service area commander.

The car was unrecognisable, he said.

The two survivors were freed after firefighters cut the roof off the car, but the three dead remained in the front seat for several hours, trapped in the wreckage.

The three dead - all under the age of 25 - appeared to be in the front of the small car which had only two seats and two seat belts, he said.

Three of those injured were discharged from hospital this afternoon, while one person remained seriously ill in intensive care, and another had been treated and was stable, a Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman said.

It was possible the third person in the front was thrown there by the impact of the crash.

The impact caused the bus to veer across the road and into the paddock.

At least four ambulances and several fire appliances attended.

A rescue helicopter ferried one of the injured to hospital. St John Ambulance said one person with serious injuries, and four more with minor to moderate injuries, were also taken to hospital by ambulance.

The Main North Rd road was closed as traffic was diverted.

Mr Ditmer said firefighters would be offered trauma counselling.

- NZPA