Motorway crash: One dead, 3 hurt

Traffic banked up as rescue services worked at the crash scene. Photo / Richard Robinson

A man is dead and three people including a 12-year-old child were in hospital last night after a three-car smash on an Auckland motorway.

Emergency services were called to the Southern Motorway near the Khyber Pass Rd on-ramp, where the accident happened in the southbound lane shortly before 9pm.

The 52-year-old man died when the car he was in rolled, said Inspector Cornell Kluessien, of the police northern communications centre.

The 12-year-old was taken to the Starship children's hospital with serious injuries.

Two adults were taken to Auckland City Hospital for treatment.

One was in a serious condition and the other had moderate injuries.

Northern fire communications spokeswoman Megan Ruru said the Fire Service was called to retrieve the body from the vehicle.

Police blocked the motorway's southbound lanes between the Fanshawe St off-ramp and the Khyber Pass Rd on-ramp as emergency services worked at the scene.

The lanes were closed for more than two hours. Diversions were set up, but southbound traffic came to a standstill.