Three children critical after crash

The scene of this morning's collision between a truck and a car in Kawerau, in which three children were critically injured. Photo / Supplied

Three children who were not wearing seatbelts are in a critical condition after a car collided with a truck in the Bay of Plenty.

An 8-year-old boy was flown to Starship hospital in Auckland and was this morning said to be in a critical condition. Two girls, aged 4 and 6, from Auckland, were at Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit.

Spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill said another 10-year-old girl was expected to arrive from Whakatane, to be admitted into a ward.

The one adult passenger, believed to be a woman, was last night in Whakatane Hospital with less serious injuries.

Dozens of people watched about 10am yesterday as a silver Nissan Primera collided with a truck and trailer on Tamarangi Drive in the Bay of Plenty township of Kawerau.

The crash occurred near the local BP service station as the car turned right into Islington St and was struck on its left side by the oncoming wood chip truck and trailer unit.

Police, fire and ambulance staff attended before the children were flown to hospital by the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter, the Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter and the Baytrust Rescue Helicopter.

Kawerau fire station officer Jim Radley said the child in the front seat was buckled in and air bags were deployed. But the three in the back were not.

"I think if that kiddie in the front had not had a seatbelt on it would have been a different story," he said.

Mr Radley said was it was a fine day and traffic was fairly light, but school holidays meant there were plenty of children around.

He said a number of locals stepped in to help and he praised two young men in particular.

"I didn't get their names but there were two guys who did a very good job," Mr Radley said. "They were stabilising the children in the back seat and I got them to continue what they were doing while I got my guys organised. It was very, very good."