Police pursuit ends in crash, one killed, five injured

Emergency services at the scene of the crash on Te Irirangi Road in Manukau that killed one person. Photo / Chris Loufte

One person has died and five others are injured - one critically - after a car fleeing police collided with two other vehicles at a South Auckland intersection.

A St John ambulance spokeswoman confirmed one person had died, one person was critically hurt, and three more had serious injuries. Another person was in a moderate condition.

The crash happened after police attempted to stop a black saloon car on Great South Rd about 10.30 last night. The vehicle fled and a short police pursuit ensued, a police spokesman said.​

At the intersection of Te Irirangi Dr and Cavendish Dr, within 1km of where police tried to pull the car over, it crashed, letting off a loud bang.

No patrol cars were involved in the crash, a police spokesman said.

A Fire Service spokeswoman said three cars were involved in the collision and three people were trapped in one of the vehicles and had to be freed by firefighters.

An employee at the nearby Caltex said he saw a car speeding along Great South Rd, heading north.

An undercover police car was on the scene within 10 seconds, the employee, Dilpreet Singh, said.

"I heard the noise it was very loud. When it collided, there was a car, an undercover cop, heading to the north."

Agnes Morunga, who works ​at the nearby Carl's Jr fast food restaurant said several police cars were on the scene.

​"We can see all the lights flashing."

The lights at the intersection went out after the crash, Morunga said.

Police said motorists should avoid the area because parts of the road would be closed.