Person critically injured and trapped after vehicle rolls in Burwood, Christchurch
Supplied / Rose Kerr
The witness to a serious crash in Christchurch is pleading with youth to take responsibility for their driving after a teenager was left with critical injuries and is fighting for his life in ICU.
Rose Kerr was one of the first people at the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Cresswell Ave in Burwood at 9pm last night.
As a nearby resident, Kerr said she was alerted by a loud bang and went outside to find a SUV with five young males in it had crashed and flipped onto its roof.
One of the passengers, a 19-year-old male, was trapped inside.
"It had a sun visor on the top of the roof, and the kid was hanging out of that," Kerr said.
The single vehicle crash on Cresswell Ave was reported to emergency services at 9pm. Photo / Supplied
"One of my neighbours went and got a plank to lift the car off him until the services arrived, but we couldn't pull him out because his body was trapped.
"He was flailing around with his legs and his arms, so we had to tell him to try and keep still until emergency services came. He was in a hell of a lot of pain."
Kerr said once emergency services arrived, it took them a while to remove the injured passenger.
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said he was taken to Christchurch Hospital in a critical condition.
A Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman confirmed today he was in a serious but stable condition in the intensive care unit.
Emergency services attending the serious crash in Burwood, Christchurch, on Saturday night. Photo / Supplied
Kerr said she had spoken with the patient's friend and was told the teenager received fractured ribs, a broken pelvis and brain injuries. He is reportedly in an induced coma.
"The vehicle was a write-off. It's a wonder there were any survivors," she said.
"The other four were alright which was very fortunate, but if there was another car coming the other way, they would have been a goner."
"These kids are just mad. They have to be responsible for their actions," she said.
"Through all this, they have to learn from it, but it's a terrible way to learn."
A Police spokeswoman said the Serious Crash Unit examined the scene of the crash last night and inquiries are ongoing.
