Hastings crash into shop leaves three seriously injured

Three people are in a serious condition after a car crashed into a shop in Hastings on Wednesday morning. Photo / Supplied

A high impact crash into a Hawke's Bay shopfront has left three people seriously injured and a shop owner stunned at the damage.

Three people remained in a serious condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital on Wednesday afternoon after the early morning crash - into Panache Soft Furnishings in Mayfair - about 12.44am.

The impact was powerful enough to rip apart a shopfront display of cushions, chairs and lamps and left one of the occupants "heavily trapped", according to a Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman.

Emergency services were called to the intersection of Duchess Cres and Karamu Rd North in Hastings to find a scene of massive damage.

"Everything that was in the front of my shop is written off," store owner Frith Harris told Hawke's Bay Today.

"Chairs, lights, cushions, rugs, lamps – all damaged and all gone."

Shards of glass were scattered throughout the store, and it was a window repair company that alerted her to the crash at 4.30am.

"If it weren't for the glass guys, I'd have turned up to work to find that horrendous mess," she said.

"There is no way any customers can go in the shop."

Harris said the store is fully insured and she hopes to be open for business by Monday.

A woman in her 20s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s are all in a serious condition at Hawke's Bay Hospital. Photo / Supplied

A FENZ spokeswoman said one person injured in the crash was trapped to the extent that it took roughly 45 minutes to free them from the time the first call came in about the crash.

A Hawke's Bay District Health Board spokeswoman said on Wednesday afternoon a woman in her 20s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s were in a serious condition at Hawke's Bay Hospital.

The car narrowly avoided hitting Advanced Cleaning Supplies Hastings next door.

A store spokeswoman said staff arrived at work to a "close call".

"The tree outside the shop is demolished and the windows next door as all boarded up," she said.

A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said two people were originally transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital by ambulance – one in a critical condition and one in a serious condition.

Police said two passengers in the car were also treated for injuries at the hospital. One did not need to be admitted.

Two fire engines from Hastings, one support crew and two ambulances attended the scene.

Police inquiries into the crash are ongoing.

About six hours earlier, a car rolled at low speed with seven people inside.

Two adults and five children were lucky to escape with "bumps and bruises" after the vehicle rolled in a grass area off State Highway 51, near Awatoto, on Tuesday evening.

Emergency services were called to the accident near the Ravensdown factory in Awatoto, Napier, about 6.28pm.

A FENZ spokeswoman said: "We arrived to find a car with seven patients – two adults and five children."

The driver of the vehicle told Hawke's Bay Today the accident was on a grass area, away from the highway.

The vehicle had rolled while it was travelling between 20 and 25km/h after the driver had accelerated, after switching from 4WD to 2WD.

The group had got out of the car and were able to walk to the nearby ambulances.

All occupants of the vehicle were okay, apart from some "bumps and bruises", the driver said.

Four ambulances attended the crash. Police are investigating the cause.

At about 8.20am there was a nose to tail crash on State Highway 2, near Poukawa, Hastings. There were no injuries.

Police said one driver was given a ride home as their car needed to be towed.

Less than half an hour later, at 8.41am, a truck hit railway barrier arms, causing concrete to obstruct the tracks on Awatoto Rd, Napier.

Police said KiwiRail crew attended to fix the barrier arm and remove debris.

Drivers were also disrupted when phone lines came down across the eastbound lane on Meeanee Rd, Napier, at 9.41am.

Police said traffic was diverted and contractors were on the scene to fix the lines.