Real estate agent hailed a hero

A real estate agent who saved four people after a head-on two car crash north of Auckland on Friday has been hailed as a hero.

Real estate agent Rob Kuypers was driving his son home from school when he arrived at the crash scene on East Coast Rd at Redvale, 30km northwest of downtown Auckland, the Herald on Sunday reported.

Four-year-old Adam Pretorius of Milford was killed in the crash while his two sisters, aged six and nine, their grandmother, and the 17-year-old female driver of the other car all remained in hospital.

The victims' injuries ranged from critical to moderate.

The car was "pretty well ablaze" by the time Mr Kuypers pulled the driver and oldest child from the front seats, with a number of motorists watching but not wanting to go near the burning vehicle.

He said Adam was already dead, but pulled him and another child from the car before helping the other car's teen driver.

"I thought, 'It's not going to blow before it gets to the tank'. The kids...you just think 'stuff it, we're gonna get them out of there'..."It doesn't matter what happens. They're kids - I'm 50 years old. They've got their whole lives to go. I'll take the risk".

Police said the car carrying the children crossed the centre line and hit the teen's car.

Speed was not believed to be a factor.

- NZPA