More details about a fatal crash between a house-moving truck and a ute near Whanganui last night have been released by police.
The 74-year-old male driver of the ute died in the incident, at about 10pm on State Highway 3 at Kai-iwi, northwest of Whanganui.
"A red Toyota ute has passed two pilot vehicles and then collided with a truck, which was moving a house, and then also hit a following vehicle," a police statement said.
The man was the only occupant in the ute and was confirmed dead at the scene.
He was trapped in his vehicle, a Fire Service spokeswoman said this morning.
Cordons were put in place as the police serious crash unit investigated.
The fatal crash comes after Kerikeri man Nicholas Kingsford died when his vehicle collided with a truck transporting a house in Northland last Thursday.
Emergency services were called to the crash at 2am on State Highway 10, north of Pakaraka.
Kingsford, 52, was the sole occupant of the vehicle and died at the scene.
Police have yet to determine the cause of the crash and the matter has been referred to the coroner.