State Highway 2 reopens after fatal Central Hawke’s Bay crash

One person died and two others were injured after a crash on State Highway 2 in Central Hawke’s Bay.

State Highway 2 north of Waipawa was closed for more than five hours on Monday, with diversions between Waipawa and Ōtane, after the fatal crash on Great North Rd near the intersection with Argyll Rd.

The highway had since reopened.

A police spokesperson said the crash was reported at 10.15am. The Serious Crash Unit remained at the scene as at 12.45pm.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said an ambulance had taken two people to Hawke’s Bay Hospital, one in a serious condition and one in a minor condition.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

Fiery beachfront crash near Napier

Earlier, emergency services were amazed no one was injured in a crash in which a car burst into flames on beachfront route State Highway 51 near Napier on Saturday night.

The crash happened about 8.20pm, when a car is understood to have struck the rear of a caravan in the northbound lane a few hundred metres north of the SH51-Awatoto Rd roundabout, which has been in use just a few months after a major safety improvement project that included the installation of “cheese-cutter” separations between the north and southbound traffic.

There were no reports of serious injuries, but one person was “processed” by police for drink-driving and has been summonsed to appear in court.

Police said there were reportedly three vehicles involved, including one towing a caravan, and one of the cars caught fire following the crash.

Citizen video showed the flames exploding across the lane and police said the incident blocked the road in both directions, giving the impression more than one vehicle was engulfed, but Fire and Emergency NZ reported just the car was involved when a single crew from Napier arrived at 8.32pm, and the fire was quickly extinguished.

Police said the southbound lane was reopened about 9.35pm, and the northbound lane soon afterwards, and while there were some social media claims the recent improvements had created difficulties for emergency services getting to the scene the services themselves reported no issues.

Ambulance service Hato Hone St John reported it sent one rapid response unit but it was not required at the scene.

Highways management agency NZTA Waka Kotahi reported the scene was cleared by 10.30pm, and has not reported any damage to the road assets.

The building of the roundabout and the improvements are part of a $20 million programme of work on the Napier-Hastings route through Clive and past Whakatu and Waipatu, including the 3km from the new roundabout north to Ellison St at the entrance to Marine Parade, a section notorious for a high frequency of serious crashes over the years.