Road smashes close Waikato roads in black start to Friday

Diversions are in place around a fatal crash involving a car and truck on SH14, at Wheki Valley, southwest of Whangārei, this morning. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A fiery crash that saw a burning truck end up down a bank and onto railway tracks has closed a Waikato highway this morning.

And police have confirmed a person has also died in a crash involving a logging truck in Northland this morning.

Police are warning motorists to avoid State Highway 27 north of Matamata following a serious crash near Waharoa.

Emergency services were responding to the crash between a truck and a ute, which happened about 6.30am.

Both the truck and ute went down a bank and the truck burst into flames. Police said one person was seriously injured in the crash.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman said the burning lorry ended up on railway tracks. An alert was sent to notify all trains to stop.

One person had been rescued from the ute.

The road was closed and a rescue helicopter had been sent to the scene.

SH27 WAHAROA - ROAD CLOSED - 7:05AM
Due to a serious crash a section of #SH27 through Waharoa, north of Matamata, is now CLOSED and likely to be closed for some time today as police conduct a full investigation. Allow extra time for a short detour: https://t.co/vxiw6aQ13m ^TP pic.twitter.com/imwKjoWuRi

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) June 25, 2020

Diversions were being put in place, however motorists were asked to avoid the area.

A police spokesman said the scene was on the railway overbridge and there was a considerable amount of crash debris on the railway.

An earlier serious crash in Tokoroa has left State Highway 1 closed this morning.

Two people have been seriously injured in a crash south of Lichfield at the intersection of SH1 and Puriri Rd.

SH1 TOKOROA TO LICHFIELD - ROAD CLOSED - 6:30AM
Due to a serious crash a short section of #SH1 north of Tokoroa is now CLOSED and will be closed for some time as Police conduct an investigation. Allow extra 10 mins for detour: https://t.co/2HI0QTY7P4 ^TP pic.twitter.com/ifh8I2XEvv

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) June 25, 2020

A helicopter was used to take one of the two badly injured motorists to Waikato Hospital. St John said one person was in a critical condition and the other in a serious condition.

In Northland an empty logging truck collided with a car around 7am on State Highway 14 at Wheki Valley.

Police confirmed one person died at the scene.

The Serious Crash unit has been notified and the road is currently closed and was expected to remain so for some time.

Crashes

Those travelling on SH14 this morning were asked to either delay their journey, or divert through Maungaturoto.

However, because diversion roads were narrow, windy and gravel, they were not considered suitable for large vehicles, or high volumes of vehicles.