Two close calls on Tauranga roads to start holiday period

Logs were strewn over SH2 in Bethlehem yesterday after a truck and trailer tipped. Photo / Samantha Motion

Two close calls on Tauranga roads yesterday has seen a grim start to the holiday period.

Three people were recovering in Tauranga Hospital after a car crash on Marine Parade in Mount Maunganui at 1.20 pm on Thursday morning.

Two 21-year-old females were in a serious but stable condition and a 19-year-old male was in a stable condition after being cut free from the car by firefighters.

The Serious Crash Unit was investigating the cause of the crash after the car left the road and hit a sand dune.

A Marine Parade resident said he woke to what he believed was a woman, trapped in a crashed car on the dunes opposite his property, desperately crying out for help.

The Marine Parade resident, who did not wish to be named, said he was awoken by someone yelling out "Help me, help me, get me out".

"That's what woke me. I didn't get up myself but my wife did and she spent about an hour and a half watching what was going on from our balcony," the man said.

Two other residents, who did not wish to be named, said they arrived home about 3am and discovered their property was inside a police cordon.

"I have never seen anything like this before. The car was on top of the dunes with its lights facing towards the road. It was a pretty spectacular scene, with lots of police everywhere.

"The car was pretty damaged and it's a wonder no one was killed," one of two men said.

Meanwhile, in Bethlehem, logs were scattered across State Highway 2 causing major traffic delays.

The logs had been travelling on a truck and trailer which was travelling eastbound through Bethlehem when the vehicle lost its load around 1.40 pm yesterday.

Winirangi Nichols was sitting at the table with her whanau at her home on the corner when they felt the house shake.

"We thought it was an earthquake."

She and her brothers ran outside and saw huge logs rolling over the road heading straight for their driveway.

"I was just going 'No, no don't hit my car'."

Luckily, the logs hit the kerb and came to a stop. Luckier still, there had been no cars in the lane or people on the footpath as the logs crashed through.

Florist Kylie Dombroski said they heard "an almighty bang" and rushed outside to see a cloud of dust and logs strewn everywhere.

"We can't believe that with all of the traffic today no-one was hurt."