Car was completing passing manoeuvre when it hit truck
The car involved in a triple fatality crash in Hawke’s Bay was completing a passing manoeuvre when it collided with an oncoming truck.
The three occupants of the car were on their way to work when they died in the collision near Takapau, Hawke’s Bay, on Tuesday.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Greville said the car had been passing another car when the crash occurred and police were investigating if the other car played any part in the crash.
Firefighters arriving at the scene of the crash came across a ‘‘horrific scene’’. The volunteer crew from Takapau was first on the scene of the crash, which occurred on State Highway 2 between Norsewood and Takapau just before 2.50pm.
Three people were killed. They had been on their way to work at the Silver Fern Farms meat processing plant at Takapau.
Takapau fire chief Lincoln Taylor said it was the second fatal crash in the area in three months.
‘‘It was horrific. You can imagine the full impact of a small car versus the front of a Kenworth. There was not a lot left of the car.’’
Three occupants of the northbound car were killed when they collided head-on with the southbound truck. Two were killed instantly. Firefighters tended to one injured person from the car,
who later died on the way to hospital.
The truck driver was airlifted to Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s emergency department with serious injuries. He was in a stable condition yesterday morning.
Taylor said he was uncertain what led to the crash, though it was raining and the road was wet at the time.
‘‘The amount of head-ons we have between that corner and the golf course in Waipukurau is quite amazing,’’ he said. ‘‘Obviously our sympathies go out to the families.’’
Heather Kitson was at home about 250 metres from the crash scene when she heard a loud bang. ‘‘I knew something bad had happened. It was very loud.’’
She saw a lot of people tending to the injured and directing traffic, and saw the truck jack-knifed off the side of the southbound lane. ‘‘It looked to me as if the truck driver had been taking evasive action.’’
Police have not released the names of the victims. One of the victims was understood to have been a pupil of Dannevirke High School.
The school’s Facebook page said: ‘‘Our school Wha¯nau are devastated with the loss of our students.
‘‘The tragic loss of both current and past pupils has been felt deeply throughout the school community by students, teachers and Wha¯nau.
‘‘Our heartfelt sympathy goes to the Wha¯nau’s and our wider community. Support for students, teachers and Wha¯nau is available in the school library over the coming week as we grieve their loss,’’ it said.