Passenger electrocuted after power pole crash

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A person who died after a car crashed into a power pole in Canterbury last night was electrocuted, police say.

The crash occurred on O'Hallorans Rd, a gravel road in Glentui, in the Waimakariri District, around 6pm, causing the power lines to fall on top of the car.

It happened as two cars were travelling along O'Hallorans Rd when one of the vehicles, with four occupants inside, left the road at low speed and hit the power pole.

The pole broke and the live power lines came down on top of the car.

It is believed one of the rear seat passengers got out of the crashed car and was electrocuted, police said today. The person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two occupants from the other car suffered electric shocks when they went to help their friend. Both were taken to Christchurch Hospital for treatment.

Three others from the crashed car were also taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

The crash also sparked a small vegetation fire, which was extinguished by members of the Oxford Fire Service, police said.

The death has been referred to the coroner, and police are investigating the crash.

The death brought the holiday road toll to three, coming after a death in the Bay of Plenty this morning when a car collided with a milk tanker, and a fatal crash in Tauranga on Boxing Day.

A man died after the rental car he was driving collided with another car, critically injuring an elderly couple from Omokoroa. They remained in Tauranga Hospital's intensive care unit yesterday.