A woman had to be cut free after a four-wheel-drive vehicle collided with a fully laden truck and trailer unit near Katikati yesterday.
Volunteer firefighters used heavy cutting equipment to free the woman, who is believed to have a broken leg.
The accident happened just before midday on a straight section of
road 10km south of Katikati on State Highway 2.
The woman was trapped in the damaged vehicle but three other people managed to escape through windows.
Two females, who were back-seat passengers, and the male driver received minor head injuries.
Katikati St John station manager Dick Megchelse said the trio were already out of the vehicle when emergency workers arrived.
The woman remained in the vehicle for about 30 minutes as firefighters worked to free her.
All four injured people were then taken to Tauranga Hospital.
Katikati Senior Constable John Fitzgerald said both the truck and trailer, which was carrying 30 tonnes of fertiliser, and the four-wheel-drive were heading north when they collided.
Mr Fitzgerald said the four-wheel-drive vehicle had been overtaking the truck when the collision happened.
The four-wheel-drive spun out of control and the truck and trailer jack-knifed, blocking one lane.
The truck driver was uninjured.
