An Army truck collided with a supermarket supply truck on State Highway One this morning south of Hunterville, killing one person and injuring several others, police said today.
The accident happened at 10.10am today, at the intersection with Te Houhou Road, closing the highway, which was expected to reopen about 1pm.
Sergeant Dexter Traill of Central Communications said that police at the scene averted a bigger disaster by dowsing flames that engulfed one of the trucks, potentially putting all occupants in mortal danger.
"There was a fire in one of the vehicles that was still burning when police got there, and people were trapped. Fortunately the cops there used fire extinguishers to dowse it until the fire department turned up.
"They probably averted further mayhem," Mr Traill said.
It was not known which vehicle caught fire, or which vehicle the deceased person was in.
Mr Traill said the other occupants suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor.
No further details were known.
- NZPA
One dead, several injured after head-on collision
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