Murupara reeling after four die in horror crash
Police piece together what happened on a forest road just before sunrise
The Murupara community is reeling in the wake of a fatal crash on a remote forestry road that claimed four lives and critically injured another person yesterday.
Bay of Plenty roading police manager Inspector Brent Crowe believed the four who died in the dawn crash were forestry workers.
Murupara’s Pem Bird confirmed the four “beautiful young lives” were taken from the town.
“It’s a great feeling of devastation and shock. It is beyond terrible to have them gone in such a way.
“These four beautiful young lives were happy on their way to work, but they didn’t make it.”
He said the community was getting ready mentally, physically and spiritually for the bodies to be released. They will then lie at their respective marae.
“My heart sank when I saw the police coming into town because you know something awful has happened when you hear the siren.
“It’s time to console the immediate wha¯ nau and do what we can.”
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said it was tragic for everybody involved and impacted.
“There are families whose loved ones are not coming home and that is an absolute tragedy. Our aroha and sympathies are with all the families involved at this time.”
She said as a community, the Rotorua district was still reeling from the horrific accident that killed three roadside workers in February.
“It’s extremely sad to hear about people going to do their jobs and being struck by devastating accidents like this.”
It is understood that while the road is a private operational road through the forest used by vehicles such as four-trailer-long trucks, it did see traffic from other road users.
The Serious Crash Unit spent most of the day on site at the intersection of Bonisch and Parapara Roads in Kaingaroa Forest as police tried to piece together what had happened.
Conditions at the time of the crash were reasonably dark, Crowe said.
The road, which is tarsealed, is part of the Million Dollar Highway and Crowe said drivers had to know what they were doing to drive parts of it.
A karakia was said over the scene about mid-morning yesterday.
At 11.30am two hearses arrived at the scene shortly after a woman left the cordon visibly distressed.
A St John spokeswoman confirmed one person was flown to Waika¯ to Hospital in a critical condition.