One person is dead after a car crash near Edgecumbe in the Eastern Bay of Plenty this afternoon.
Fire North Communications shift manager Paul Radden said an elderly couple in a car collided with a rubbish truck just outside the town about 3pm.
It appears the car rear-ended the truck which was parked.
Mr Radden said firefighters had to cut the couple free but shortly after one of them died.
The other victim was airlifted to hospital.