One person dead after being hit by own van in Tauranga

A person has died after being hit by their own van outside a Salvation Army store in Tauranga.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the death after the single-vehicle incident at the intersection of Cameron Rd and Arundel St, Tauranga.

A Bay of Plenty Times reporter at the scene said a woman was lying on the ground and a van was "on top of her" outside the Salvation Army.

The back window of the vehicle was broken and the window of a shop had been smashed by it.

She said police were notified of a car hitting a pedestrian at 12.41pm near the intersection of Arundel St and Cameron Rd.

Harinder Singh from Shosha in Tauranga saw the entire thing and said the woman was reversing her van when the door came open and she fell out.

He said the van had crashed into the window of a dance studio next door.

The woman looked like she was in her 70s and was unconscious when Singh rushed out to help.

He said about 15 of them had worked to pull the car off her.

A large group of people were helping at the scene.

St John spokeswoman said they were called to the incident on Cameron Rd at 12.34pm.

She said they sent one ambulance and they were treating one patient at the scene.

The police investigation is ongoing. Police could not provide any further detail on how the incident occurred.