Northern fire communications shift manager Scott Osmond said the call about the crash came in at 6.48am of three vehicles which had crashed in the Waikino Gorge on SH2.
However, one of those first to the scene happened to be a registered nurse who was helping the trapped the victim.
Mr Osmond said one patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital by air ambulance.
Waikato police Senior Sergeant Andrew Townsend said the patient was in a serious condition.
He urged motorists to slow down, drive to the conditions and get to their Christmas destination five minutes late as he believes speed maybe a factor in the pile up.
"One car has come around the corner, lost control and spun into another car. Somehow a third car has become involved but we're not quite sure how yet ... but with this [crash] there will be speed involved in the fact that they've gone to fast around a corner. We need people to slow down and drive to the conditions."
Mr Townsend said three other people had suffered minor injuries in the crash.
SH2 has reopened following the crash.
At least 50 vehicle crashes occurred since mid-afternoon yesterday, including one south of Taupo which has put a person in hospital.
This has prompted a renewed their appeal for calm, safe driving, in light of the series of accidents and after drivers told police of incidents of bad driving, some of which led to serious crashes.
National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally said there's been unsafe driving and crashes in every part of the country.
"There have been about fifty crashes since 3pm today," he said.
"No one has died yet, but this driving behaviour is just not safe. The potential to ruin people's Christmas is high."
"... we have had a serious crash on state highway 1 [at] Hatepe, near Taupo ... where the occupant has been transported to hospital."
"There's been a serious crash where a car has rolled down a bank in Southland plus we have had a car on fire near state highway 25a near Thames where the driver's crashed into a paddock. "
"There have been several nose-to-tail crashes all over the country, from Auckland and Hamilton, down to Waimate in Canterbury. Although many of these have been minor, they could have been avoided had people kept their distance, kept alert and slowed down."
"Drivers need to keep their wits about them, think about their actions, the consequences and think about how we can all make a difference by driving to the conditions and keeping to a safe speed."
