Six-year-old killed in fiery North Canterbury crash that badly injured father named

A 6-year-old boy died after a car failed to take the bend at Lehmans Rd and River Rd near Rangiora on Tuesday and launched over a river stopbank. Police are investigating. Photo / Kurt Bayer

The 6-year-old killed in a horror car crash that also left his father badly burned has been named today.

Lachlan Gebhardt died at the scene after the car his father Niklas Gebhardt, 30, was driving crashed at the bend of Lehmans Rd and River Rd near Rangiora Racecourse at around 4.15pm on Tuesday.

A major police investigation is underway to discover the cause of the accident.

"Our condolences are with his family , friends and school at this time," a police spokeswoman said.

Today, Lachlan's principal at Fernside School, David Taylor said the school is in shock at losing a popular pupil.

"We are all very sad. Everybody loved Lachlan," he said.

Classes were told of his tragic death this morning.

Taylor said they will talk regularly with the parent community as news comes to hand.

"The school staff and students are coming to terms with his loss," he said.

"Our heartfelt love and support to his family at this time."

He said support from the Ministry of Education and local agencies has been outstanding, as has the help and extra teacher support provided by schools in Puketeraki Community of Learning. Children also have access to trained counsellors, he said.

Police continue to investigate the circumstance surrounding the crash.

It appears that the car failed to take the sharp corner while travelling at speed, hit the Ashley River stopbank, and launched across the bank and into trees.

It then caught fire before neighbours reported hearing a loud explosion shortly afterwards, followed by screams.

No other vehicles were involved.

An ambulance soon arrived, followed by police and firefighters.

Niklas Gebhardt was badly injured in the crash that claimed the life of his 6-year-old son.

The boy's father Niklas Gebhardt, a talented football player who represented Canterbury United, was airlifted to hospital by Westpac rescue helicopter in a critical condition. He has since been transferred to the burns unit at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital. A spokeswoman for the hospital today said they were unable to give a condition update.

Niklas Gebhardt's family refused to comment when approached by the Herald.

One woman who lives near the crash site said that shortly after 4.15pm on Tuesday she "just happened to look out the window and saw all these flames".

She then reports hearing "a big bang" shortly afterwards and then "someone screaming".

A distressed woman at the scene reported driving and seeing the vehicle pass her at high speed and failing to take the bend.

"She said she saw them going really, really fast and going straight over [the stopbank] and hit a tree. She was really upset," the local woman told the Herald.

"It was lucky there were no other cars on the bank or dog walkers – it's pretty busy along there. It's just horrible."

Police say they are still investigating. A serious crash unit investigator was at the scene today, while other officers were going door-to-door in the area.