Traffic slips and slides in diesel spill

Two vehicles came to grief after being caught in the Te Rapa Rd diesel spill, but no one was injured in the afternoon collision. Photo / Christine Cornege

It was fortunate no one was seriously hurt or killed after a motorist unknowingly spilled several litres of diesel fuel over one of Hamilton's busiest roads, police say.

Senior Sergeant Rupert Friend said witnesses reported seeing at least two vehicles skidding in a diesel slick that was about 200m long on Avalon Drive near the Te Rapa intersection early yesterday afternoon.

Mr Friend said the slick caused a two-vehicle collision but no one was injured.

"It was probably around a couple of hundred metres of diesel, that was as much as we could get to ... the rest got washed away with the rain which was lucky.

"I think we are lucky that there was just one crash and it wasn't more serious. The original job came in as a car on fire and one person trapped. I was a bit concerned about that but it turned out to be totally erroneous."

Mr Friend said traffic was disrupted for about an hour as fire services and council workers tended to the spill, which had spread to Te Rapa Rd.

He said the motorist responsible for the diesel spill had not been identified.

Meanwhile, a teenager who died after his car slid across the centreline and collided with another car on State Highway 4 just south of Tikitiki Rd in the King Country on Saturday morning is yet to be named.

The 18-year-old male driver lost control of his car on a 75 km/h bend in wet conditions about 12km east of Piopio. He died at the scene.

The female driver of the other car was taken to Te Kuiti Hospital with minor injuries.

Police have urged motorists to moderate their speed in wet conditions and be extra vigilant in the busy traffic period leading up to Christmas.

The driver's death takes the Waikato road toll to 51 this year.

Te Kuiti police and the serious crash unit are continuing with the investigation.