Early morning Whangārei crash takes down power pole and shop verandah - one person in hospital

Buddhi Wilcox, from Whangārei's Food for Life Centre, surveys the damage after a car hit a power people this morning, bringing down powerlines and a verandah. Photo / Michael Cunningham

At least one person has been taken to hospital after an early morning crash in Whangārei that took out a power pole and the verandah in front of shops.

A car crashed into the pole in Water St, before 5am this morning, also taking out the verandah outside the Hare Krishna Food For Life Centre, which provides food for the region's poor and needy. It also caused slight damage to the centre, but the neighbouring Dominos Pizza store appears to have escaped damaged.

While details of the crash are still sketchy, it's understood a man and woman were in the car, and at least one person has been taken to hospital.

The crash took down the power line and Northpower workers were on the scene this morning making the power supply safe.

The verandah was to be removed today.

Buddhi Wilcox, from the Food for Life Centre, said if the car had not hit the power pole it would likely have gone into the centre.

He said the centre was planning on reopening next week to provide meals to social agencies across Northland to help feed those in need.

Wilcox said it looked like the centre would still be able to do so, but the power was likely to be out until Tuesday, which would delay the plans slightly.

A witness to the events leading up to the crash, who was one of the first on the scene, said he was woken by people arguing outside a house on Maunu Rd, sometime after 4am.

The man, who did not want to be named, said he saw about eight people arguing then some got into a car and took off.

''It looked like a blue car. I saw it boosting down the road (heading towards town). It was going at high speed and it didn't have any lights on. Then I just heard a 'boom'. I drove down and saw a woman on the grass (beside the centre) groaning. So I called the ambos,'' the man said.

Police are investigating the crash.