File photo / NZ Herald
Two crashes - one involving a 12 vehicle pile up - caused major hold-ups during the peak hour traffic rush in Christchurch this morning.
At 7.47am, 12 cars were involved in a "nose to tail'' crash at Redwood.
Fire trucks attended but they were not required, said a Fire Service spokesman.
No one was injured.
About 10 minutes later a vehicle rolled at Kainga.
Inspector Rick Jury said it caused "major traffic congestion'' on one of the city's busiest arterial roads, delaying people getting to work.
The southbound lane had to be closed.
Mr Jury understood two people suffered injuries.
In a third accident in the city this morning, a man suffered injuries to his legs and had to be cut free from his van when it hit the back of a car in Sydenham.
He said firefighters had to use hydraulic equipment to free the driver of the van.
Mr Peoples said charges were yet to be determined.
An Auckland school has shut early, saying there's no purpose in students coming to class.